Interview with Frédéric Morel, Coeur d'Artichaut

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Episode summary:

Frédéric Morel was born in 1988 in Brest, Brittany, where he trained at a gastronomy college. After working in the UK, Switzerland and Germany, including at the renowned Jacobs restaurant in Hamburg and the Vendôme in Bergisch Gladbach, Morel found his first head chef position at Seven Oceans in Hamburg.

Since 2019, he has been running the Coeur D'Artichaut restaurant in Münster together with his wife. In the interview, Morel describes the first day after the summer holidays and the start of a new menu as particularly exciting and challenging. He emphasises the mixture of anticipation and the need to return to the high level after a break.

Morel uses his holidays not only for relaxation, but also for inspiration. The markets in Brittany and nature in particular provide him with new ideas for his dishes. He appreciates the variety and quality of the products he discovers there and regrets that some of these ingredients are difficult to find in Germany.

His cuisine is characterised by a modern and creative touch, whereby he places great value on seasonal and regional products. Morel emphasises that he changes the menu every month in order to offer variety to both his guests and his team. This rhythm allows him to always use fresh and seasonal produce and to encourage creativity in the kitchen. He describes how he often brings in new ideas after his holiday and adapts the menu accordingly.

Breton cuisine, where Morel comes from, is a mixture of hearty dishes and light seafood. It is known for its variety of products, including vegetables, meat, dairy products and, more recently, wine. Morel incorporates these influences into his dishes without strictly adhering to traditional recipes. He also incorporates Creole influences from the island of La Réunion, his father's homeland, into his cuisine. This combination of different culinary traditions makes his cuisine unique and versatile.

Morel describes how he learned to use spices and flavours as a child. Balance and dosage are particularly important to him in order to create harmonious dishes. One example of this is his dish with Breton lobster, pointed cabbage and ginger, in which he perfectly balances the sweet and bitter notes of the lobster.

Another highlight of his cuisine is the combination of Iberico pork and eel, inspired by traditional Breton recipes. Morel emphasises that the balance of flavours and textures is crucial to creating a harmonious dish. This ability to integrate and perfectly balance different culinary influences is what makes his cuisine so special.

Morel regularly reflects on his cuisine and strives to continuously improve. He emphasises that the expansion of his team has given him more time to think, taste and create, which has led to a refinement of his dishes. Collaboration with his wife and feedback from guests also play an important role in his culinary development.

Morel explains that his decision to become a chef stemmed from his love of food. Although he originally considered a career in patisserie, he discovered his passion for the kitchen during his training at hotel management school. His international experiences in the UK, Switzerland and Germany broadened his culinary perspective and helped him to develop his own style.

The move to Münster was a conscious decision for the family and allowed Morel to start a new chapter in a smaller city. Despite initial challenges, he has managed to establish himself and build a successful restaurant. The support of his wife and adapting to local conditions played a crucial role in this.