Chef Noel Berard of The Ocean by Olivier Bellin shares his lessons on youth, kitchen hierarchy, and getting inspired by the city he now calls home

At 27-years-old, Frenchman Noel Berard has slowly built his career from scratch, climbing up the kitchen hierarchy from humble beginnings. Berard, who now works as the chef de cuisine of Le Comptoir restaurant group, is primarily stationed at The Ocean by Oliver Bellin, and is no stranger to fine French gastronomy. After all, he trained under Amber’s Richard Ekkebus for two and a half years before taking his post at The Ocean. Berard was also one of three Hong Kong contestants in the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2017 competition, and we caught up with him to discover what drives his passion for being in front of the stove.

How did you get into the food business?

I was in secondary school when I realised I wanted to do something beyond studies. I went to catering school and four years of kitchen apprenticeship. When I got a job at Reims, I spent three years polishing my skills in traditional French kitchen setting. When I finally learned English properly, my mentor introduced me to Maxime Gilbert, who was then working at Amber. He gave me a push and soon I began my journey as a junior sous chef  there.

How is a Hong Kong kitchen different from those of the French?

The kitchen dynamics are similar, but when you are in a junior position you learn how to cover your colleagues in their areas of expertise. Sometimes I would do butchery, cook fish, learn how to portion meals and experiment on plating. When the chefs are taking breaks, you catch up on the administrative duties a junior sous chef is required to  conduct. 

What inspired you to participate in the San Pellegrino Young Chef competition?

It was back at Amber when I saw one of my colleagues prepping for this competition. It was the same time I thought to myself ‘why couldn’t that be me?’ and that sparked many ideas, including this year’s dish, the Hong Kongese Bouillabaise with Tai O Seafood and XO Condiments. The bouillabaisse is made with a herb-infused flower crab stock, paired with sesame custard, grilled eel and squid and served with crispy conpoy and onion confit. 

 

Tatler Asia
Above Noel's Hong Kongese Bouillabaise with Tai O Seafood and XO Condiments (Photo: Moses Ng/Hong Kong Tatler)

How does Hong Kong inspire your creations?

One word: seafood. It is the soul of the city’s unique cuisine. When I first arrived in Hong Kong I spent as much time as possible exploring the city’s edible landscape. You see fresh and dried seafood every day, even the air we breathe has seafood in it, which is why I consider seafood the soul in Hong Kong’s cuisine.

What is the most important part of creating new dishes?

It is about knowing your ingredients not your techniques. It means having a connection with texture, flavour, and complexity, which help you build a dish. Understanding every ingredient benefits a chef in creating new dishes, or adding twists to classics. When you know your food, creating is never too difficult.

Unlike many chefs, you do cook at home. In a home setting, what would be your signature dish?

Home kitchens are very small in Hong Kong, but luckily fresh ingredients are easy to come by. I always get seafood because it is easy to work with, and when I am at home, cooking is about comfort. You are more likely to find me eating one-pot meals at  home.