Luke Nguyen's France

Luke Nguyen continues his journey around the oyster island of D’Oleron before exploring the food traditions of the Loire Valley. He can’t stop talking about the infamous 'hot oyster' with local restaurateur James, and cooks up his own hot oysters in buerre blanc. He is reminded of his childhood through his forages for clams with local fishermen Patrick and John. A break-wall is as good as anywhere to cook up a fusion clam feast. Luke discovers some of the magic of the Loire Valley when he cooks a sumptuous rabbit cooked in red wine dish in the cellar of an old chateau with owner Sebastian. They share a glass of wine, some freshly baked bread and a sing-a-long with some local fisherman, before Luke unearths the troglodyte fine dining scene.

Luke Nguyen travels to Nice, the jewel of the French Riviera, where the fresh produce is as beautiful as the scenery. Luke and local chef Dominique Le Stanc ride their bicycles to the local farmers’ market to collect the ingredients for a delectable onion and anchovy tart. Going to Nice and not cooking Nicoise salad would be a sin, so Luke learns how to prepare the real deal in a traditional Nicoise kitchen. He then takes a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais before heading to the hills to cook stuffed sardines in the traditional way. The three ‘S’s of Nice are: sea, soccer, and socca: Luke discovers the latter is cooked in an ancient wood fire oven. He meets with Nadim and his wife, the proprietors of Oliveira, to discover the region’s best olive oil and her famous eggplant dip.

Luke Nguyen heads to Lyon, the food capital of France. He makes a classic Lyonnaise salad after teaming up with celebrity chef Grégory Cuilleron, then explores Lyon’s famous silk tunnels. Luke has a wine early in the morning with his old friend Momo before setting up a kitchen in the middle of a farmers’ market. The men wax lyrical about Lyonnaise food culture while creating a dessert inspired by the fruits of spring. Luke checks out some trompe-l'œil art and is invited into the kitchen of one of France’s most respected chefs, Jean-Paul Lacombe. He learns the secret behind making a traditional chicken liver cake with Arlette, one of Lyon’s most beloved Bouchon cooks.

From Paris, Luke Nguyen heads west to Strasbourg where he develops a taste for all things Alsatian. There he discovers the secrets behind Strasbourg’s most famous – and controversial – dish. As importantly, he learns how to eat it. He meets Alsace’s ‘Queen of Gingerbread’ to learn the art of making pain d'épices and then creates his own roast pigeon masterpiece, pigeon a l'orange using her specialty spice mix. Luke samples Strasbourg’s famed tart flambé and visits a local family where he is taught how to make their unique specialty, fleischnacka, which means “meat-snail”.

Luke Nguyen embarks on a culinary journey through the heart of Paris, discovering Parisians’ passion for food, decadence and tradition. Walking the city streets, exploring the French capital’s oldest market and cooking with his Vietnamese-French cousin Laurent, Luke investigates how France has influenced Vietnam’s culinary scene. He creates a fusion Vietnamese steak tartare with traditional Parisian butcher Yves-Marie and experiences the sweeter side of the city from the rooftop of the Westin Hotel with beekeeper Nicolas Géant. Luke also takes a lesson in indulgence – and history – with a three-cheese soufflé.