Q&A with Chef Martin Woesle
of Mille Fleurs in San Diego
Chef Martin Woesle knows something about cooking.
Born in Southern Germany, he learned to cook by helping his mother
in the kitchen at home. At the age of 16, too young for culinary
school, he nevertheless talked his way in and ultimately graduated
first in his class. After training under Eckart Witzigmann at Munich's
three-star Aubergine restaurant, he later went on to work
at Ma Maison in North Hollywood before becoming Chef de Cuisine
of Mille Fleurs in 1985.
CMEplanner: What kind of trends are you noticing about dining in San Diego?
Woesle: The San Diego diner is much more sophisticated
than they were 20 years ago. They know they want and they demand
the best. I'm seeing a lot of types of cuisine coming into the area.
It's such a cultural mix here you can really find anything. As far
as specific trends I'm noticing a lot of smaller neighborhood restaurants
with no more than 60 or 80 seats. And there are a lot of steakhouses
opening up.
CMEplanner: The famous Chino farm is only three minutes
from Mille Fleurs. Is that where you always start your day?
Woesle:
For the past 20 years I've been starting my day at Chino's.
I go around 10 a.m. and spend about half an hour choosing the freshest
produce. For the first ten years I was the only chef who ever went
and I never understood why. Now it's a big deal to go there and
all the top chefs go. Since it's so close to us I go two or three
times a day. If I'm running short of something it's faster to go
there than the grocery store.
CMEplanner: Where does your meat come from?
Woesle:
I get antelope and venison from Texas, lamb from Australia
and fish from Northern California, the North Pacific, the East Coast,
Europe, and Hawaii. Again, it's a question of whatever is freshest.
CMEplanner: How would you describe your cooking style?
Woesle:
I like to keep things simple. I find the freshest ingredients and change my menu every day. I always have fresh soups, at least two or three salads, four to five appetizers and around nine or ten entrees of which three are seafood. I also do a seven- or eight-course tasting menu every night.
CMEplanner: Do you like to add entrees from your home country?
Woesle:
Yes. Though I was trained in a classic French style of cooking
I find that people love to try German and Austrian dishes. I do
one or two dishes every day-something like spaetzle or weinerschnitzel.
CMEplanner: What kind of
aspirations do you have for the future?
Woesle:
I would like to do a cookbook at some point but my time is limited.
As long as I do what I do well, why expand? I don't want an empire.
But I would like to have my own restaurant one day.
CMEplanner: The James Beard Foundation named you one of the Great Regional
Chefs in America. Who else do you really admire?
Woesle:
I've always admired Alice Waters. And I think Wolfgang Puck
is great. But I've learned something from all the chefs I've worked
for through the years.
* * *
Lobster salad with fresh
lobster, mixed greens, papaya, avocado, and Meyer lemon dressing
served with a glass of Billecart-Salmon rose champagne from France.
Mille Fleurs Restaurant
6009 Paseo Delicias
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
(858) 756-3085
www.millefleurs.com
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