Set to Rock
Ve Handojo had the privilege of being one of the first to taste the creations of Riva’s young and energetic new Chef, Mickael DoVan.
Why is the skin not crispy? I asked Chef Mickael DoVan upon tasting his wild fish roasted with thyme, a dish dressed in sauce supreme and pear emulsion and accompanied with caviar. “Respect your produce,” the 27-year-old Parisian replied. “I’ve seen people processing their produce simply anyway they want. My philosophy is to always respect our produce – be they eggs, vegetables, fish, red meat, spices, herbs, or just about anything.”
After years of working in two- and three-Michelin star restaurants in Paris, the new chef at Riva at The Park Lane Jakarta, finds that the city does not provide him with as many choices in terms of produce. “I believe that fine food can only be achieved from fine produce. Not just good, not just fresh, but it must be of the finest quality. In Paris, if I need an ingredient, I would have ten choices and I get to choose which one is the best. Here in Jakarta I can only choose from two or three suppliers, and that’s it.”
Does that mean that we are not going to taste the very best that this new chef at Riva can make? Not at all. “The most exciting thing about working in Indonesia is that I get to play around and experiment with so many spices and herbs,” he explains. “If I cannot get a certain kind of fish then I will not force myself to work with that kind of fish. That’s fine by me because I’m sure I can find the finest spices and herbs in Indonesia that will take my creations to another level.”
DoVan started working in the kitchen at the age of sixteen. Since that time he has worked under Chef Eric Briffard at Le Cinq at Hotel Georges V; under Chef Jeak-Francois Piege at Les Ambassadeurs at Hotel de Crillon; and under Chef Bernard Pacaud in Jacques Cagna Restaurant and Ambroisie Restaurant, and now, starting February 2012, he will be bringing his exciting talent and creations to Riva – one of the best French restaurants in Jakarta.
One of his best works is the boiled chicken egg wrapped in bread crust, accompanied with black truffle, foie gras, and Perigueux sauce. This appetizer gives a clear signal that the following items will take you to new places without hurting your taste buds at all. That wild fish that I mentioned above proves that Chef Mickael DoVan is set to take Jakarta diners to new territory – a universe of new delights.
How would Chef Mickael DoVan describe his cuisine in a few words? “Simple. Produce. Produce. It’s always been my mantra. Nothing is more important than the core of a dish itself: the ingredients,” says the perfectionist chef.
With the arrival of such a young, energetic, and dynamic talent, it seems that Riva is embracing a new era. This could be another step in bringing Jakarta’s culinary scene to a more forward-thinking mindset – more daring, and more vibrant. As one of the torchbearers, Riva is taking a bold step. And I will follow that light.
Riva @ The Park Lane Jakarta
www.rivafrenchrestaurant.com
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