One of the first price of Cuisine Cup is a journey to Norway to discover this beautiful country. Three of our chefs, Alexandre Luccioni, Philippe Kratz and Jean-Sebastien Bompoil were invited to “le Bocuse d'Or” and had the opportunity to visit the Norwegian fish farms and to discover the Norwegian gastronomy. Jean-Sebastien tells us here their amazing journey.

Day one: The trip

Philippe, Alexandre and I took a flight in Roissy to go to Stavanger, in Norway. This was a quick direct flight of only two and a half hours, without important formalities (as soon as we stay in the Schengen zone) and without any jet lag. We arrived at the hotel at 10:30 pm in the city centre, close to the harbour. First observation: it is only 13 ° C! By 2h30, we lost 7 ° C.

Day one: The farm visits

The next day we woke up at 6:30 am and had a hearty breakfast. The menu was like in all international hotels, except for some local cheeses and especially a wide variety of kippers: kipper with cream, with dill, slightly acid ... One hour later, we took a fast shuttle: a nice boat almost private. We could feel that we were in the north, in the far north: the temperature did not exceed 12 °and the sky was overcast. After a welcoming coffee, we could admire the majestic fjords of Norway. The sea is omnipresent in Norway: 90% of Norwegian people live within 10 km of the shoreline. After a two hour travel, we discovered the haven where the famous halibut lives: the king-fish of Norway.

The dark halibut is a fish that lives in the seabed. It can reach 2 m 50 long and weigh 100kg! It is a flat fish with four fillets and a black back - the white spots on this picture are due to the brightness. Like the sole and turbot, this fish likes quiet and flat seabed. This fish is really difficult to rise and that is why it is a big challenge for Norwegian farmers.

It takes four months to get a 5 pound fish raised in open sea cages. The alevins arrive from hatcheries. The future halibuts are parked in large cages of 25 square meters and 30 meters deep - there are 600 m of water under the cage! The density of fish is calculated in pieces per sq. m., and the cage is divided into stages, depending on the number of halibut to rise. To avoid them to stay at the bottom of the cage, they immerse large floating buoys (the yellow buoys you see in the centre of the pool) that hold large nets - Imagine a plate pile . So there is a huge flat bottom in a closed space.

The farm is fully automated, so that its maintenance requires only three people who relay each other. Their food which is 100% natural is given at the centre of the cages and is stopped when the fish stop eating - then the fish cease to swim and raise the bottom. All cages are monitored by cameras-robots that can detect the slightest problems. Every week, a diver checks all equipment and the nets.

The halibut production is very low (1400 tonnes per year). The major consuming countries are Japan, the USA and England (As you know, we organise Special cod and white halibut classes in London: www.atelierdeschefs.co.uk ). According to the orders and once a week, a ship-pool takes the mature halibuts to a cutting workshop before shipping. It is a kind of giant vacuum cleaner that takes the fish in the cages without damaging them, thanks to a pressurization system.

We left this farm to reach one of the 800 salmon farms spread along the Norwegian coast. It was quite simple to find this farm: it is at the bottom on the right, well hidden in the heart of a fjord and landed in the centre of a sea stream which ensures a maximum renewal of the water.

This is an experimental farm, built for optimum quality fish. The salmon spend 14 months in those open sea cages. The eggs are raised in hatcheries, and then each alevin is vaccinated before becoming a salmon. The food is very strict: salmon have their own nutrition coaches! The granules are mainly composed of fish, plants and oil. As soon as the salmon are omnivorous, they must receive various foods. But it also respects environmental standards: it must not include more than one kilo of fish for a kilo of salmon produced. The cages seem to be crowded, but this is normal: the salmon is a sociable fish, which needs other salmons to develop correctly.

Like halibut farms, each farm is high secured. Cameras and automation are required. No loss of food and optimization of the natural environment are also required: everything must be as natural as possible.

That is why there is no treatment against sea fleas (a scourge for salmon). A small fish put in the cages is in charge of the cleaning. What happens in case of illness? The problem occurs very rarely, because all the fish are vaccinated; after a diagnosis, a state representative comes, and faxes a prescription for the treatment. The treated fish will not be sold as soon as the analysis will show antibiotic residues. Thanks to this drastic control, last year Norway used only 137 kilograms of antibiotics for a production of 720 000 tons of salmon.

What is the result? A perfect salmon. The Norwegians are very rigorous people and continue their research to provide a better salmon. Generally, fish are sent whole and cut in the welcoming countries (in France for example, there is a cutting workshop in Arras).

According to the method used, it is possible to act on the texture of the flesh. Generally, fish is put aside 24 to 48 hours before being cut. This delay allows the flesh to relax, facilitating cutting and fish bone removal. However, it is also possible to remove the fillets just after the slaughter on high quality salmon. By taking off the salmon back before the rigor mortis arrives, the flesh texture is thinner, and that is perfect for sushi, for example.

We also ate some whale during our trip. Norway and Japan are the only countries in the world authorized to hunt this animal and to eat it (be careful: the quantities are monitored by the government and the export is strictly prohibited. That is why it can be consumed only at certain periods of the year in these countries). We came back to France with lots of memories after this amazing trip to Norway!

If you want to learn how to cook white halibut and cod from Norway log on to our webstite and book right now for the Special Norwegian classes: www.atelierdeschefs.co.uk Thanks to a partnership with NORGE you will only pay the half price of the class, that is to say £18 for a one hour class instead of £36!! Fancy Norwegian fish???

A special chocolate recipe for chocolate addicted!

Ingredients for 6 people:

• 2 eggs
• 80 g of butter
• 100 g of Sugar
• 25 g of flower
• 120 g of black chocolate
• 30 g of pecan nuts

Recipe:

Melt the chocolate with the butter in a “Bain marie”. Whip the eggs and the sugar with a whisk machine to obtain a white and frothy mixture. Stir in the chocolate with the flower and mix gently. Let the mixture cool down in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Butter and put sugar in the moulds.

Fill the moulds in with the brownie mixture up to the ¾ of the moulds. Put a pecan nut in each mould.

Cook the mini brownies 6 min at 200°C. Turn them out when they are cold

Which recipe do you want to learn tomorrow? Let me know what you fancy!

Lunch can be smart if you prepare deluxe roll ups: with meat or fish, everybody will be satisfied! This is a funny recipe you can take away everywhere you go!

Ingrédients for 6 people:

• Toast bread: 12slices
• Salt : few pinches
• Smoked salmon: 6 slices
• Pepper: few pinches
• Ham: 6 slices
• Black Tapenade: 50 g
• Rocket: 150 g
• « Crème fraîche »: 50 g
• Olive oil: 4 big spoons
• Fresh herbs : 1/2 bunch

Recipe:

Chop finely 2 / 3 of the fresh herbs and mix them with the fresh cream. Season the rocket with salt, pepper and olive oil.

Roll out the slices of salmon and ham on sheets of film paper. Put some rocket at the center of these slices and roll them by using the film to make cylinders.

Toast the bread slices on both sides, remove the edges and cut them into 2 parts. Spread the tapenade on 6 slices and the cream with herbs on the 6 other slices.

Put the salmon cylinders on the cream and the ham cylinders on the tapenade. Put over the second slice of bread and decorate with the fresh herbs that are left.

You only have 3 days left to join the free culinary contest that L’atelier des Chefs organises!

Registrations will end on the 10th of November so log on now to (http://www.cuisinecup.com/) and dash into the Cuisine cup adventure by posting a recipe for 4 people around salmon that you can cook within one hour.

Bear in mind that you can win a 4 day trip to Norway, cookery classes at L’atelier des Chefs, household appliance...

"Crème brûlée" is a very famous and classical French recipe.

A delicious recipe that is even better with liquorice! Actually, you can flavoured the crème brulee as you wish: with orange blossom, anise, liquorice, rose, pistachio...Arrange them in little eggcups like that and realise a trilogy of mini crèmes brûlées to impress your friends!

Ingredients for 6 people:

• 8 egg yolks
• 5 g of liquorice powder
• 40 cl of double cream
• 100g of sugar
• 40 cl of milk
• Few pinches of brown sugar

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 100°C.

Boil the milk and the double cream all together with the liquorice powder. Mix the egg yolks with the sugar. Add to this mixture the boiling milk with the cream and fill in the eggcups.

Cook in the oven during 40 minutes at 100°C. Let cool them down then sprinkle some brown sugar on them and caramelise them with a blowtorch or with the grill of your oven.

Enjoy!

Do you know that the atelier des Chefs prices are thoroughly studied in France before being displayed? Jean-Baptiste Florin is the manager in charge of this difficult and tricky task.

It is not difficult to choose a tomato peeler or to make the Chefs think that the new gadget you present to them has to be sold in the shop. The most difficult for Jean Baptiste is an unthinkable mission: The whole delicatessen has to be tasted by our manager! It is necessary to choose quickly that is why he tastes lots of products. Good mood is required to taste some “Tapenade” at 9:00 in the morning!

Jean-Baptiste made commercial studies in France and met Nicolas and Francois during his studies. He was impressed by the talent and the passion of these two brothers who created L’atelier des Chefs. JB joined L’atelier des Chefs to live a human experience! Even if it is pleasure to taste new products, JB sometimes spend bad times due to his job: one day he has to taste 60 products in only one hour for a sales representative!

L’atelier des Chefs is not only a cookery school for adults!

Your kids can also come to cook and learn how to prepare delicious recipes with our chefs Tony and Baldwin.

Every month we organise a class only for kids (parents are not allowed!) that lasts 1 hour and a half.

From 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm on Saturday afternoon our chef will take care of your children who will prepare dishes that focus on a special event as Halloween, Christmas or on a culinary theme such as Asian, Italian, French or Mexican cuisine. After the cookery class, your children will enjoy their meal together at our atelier.

The next “Kids can cook” class will run on Saturday the 22nd of November. During 1h30 your kids will learn recipes to prepare their birthday party: Children will cook Skewered ribbon salad, tuna and crunchy hummus spirals then they will learn how to prepare funny chocolate breadsticks and how to cook famous mini brownies with pecan nuts!

Book for your kids right now (http://www.atelierdeschefs.co.uk/default.aspx?ac=11&sp=1)and enable them to organise their own birthday party!

....with our Special Norwegian class at L’atelier des Chefs!

Our chefs, Tony and Baldwin will train you during our fish classes for Cuisine Cup, our free culinary contest.

Want to learn few tips about fish?

Yes, there are some bones in fish. Yes, sometimes fish doesn’t smell good at all and an awfull flavour can spread over in your flat! No, fish do not allow you to have a better memory and to be more clever!

BUT...it is highly suggested to regularly eat some fish because it has high nutritional properties...I know that you have heard about omega 3 that protect your arteries by decreasing cholesterol...but above all, fish tastes so good!

Did I convince you? So go right now to the fish merchant because you will cook some fish this evening!

How to know your fish is fresh?
If the fish eye is well rounded, convex, the scales are adherent and shiny, the gills are red, the abdomen is very firm and if the smell is soft, nice and light, your fish is fresh!

Once you have made your choice, you need to "dress your fish" at home, that is to say, to scape it, to trim it, to empty it,to wash it and to wipe it before cooking it. Then, you can, remove the 2 fillets of a salmon or a sea bream, because these fish are said to have 2 fillets, remove the 4 fillets of a sole because there are also fish with 4 fillets.

You do not have any recipe ideas? Ask our chefs, they will be very happy to help you!

You don’t have anything in your fridge? You want to relax and have fun?

Come at L’atelier des Chefs to cook your dinner within an hour and get ready for Christmas time. Take your time with your friends to cook two recipes and enjoy eating them in a friendly atmosphere.

Untill the 31st of December, L’atelier des Chefs offers you your first glass of wine in the evening, for the 60’Flat class at 7:00 pm, if you book with the PROMO CODE: FREEWINE.

Fancy a chocolate soufflé, an Almond briouate with orange blossom, Pan fried scallops with parsnip puree flavoured with vanilla and citrus juice, Red snapper fillet, iced fennel scented with orange and pesto…

Thank you to all of you who took part in the Halloween quiz! Sophie created it and I have to say that it wasn’t so easy! I made a bad score: I only found 3 answers. I have to study for next year!

Only one person found all the answers and this person is...EVA! Congratulation Eva, you win a cookery class at lunchtime at our atelier in London!

Discover now the right answers to our quiz:

1. Who first celebrated what we've come to know as Halloween?

1.The Druids.

2.The tradition of dressing up started because:

1.We try to scare away evil spirits.

3. What are young virgins said to see if they light a candle and look in the mirror on Halloween?

3.Their future husband

4. Where do vampires assemble on Halloween?

2.They stay in - it's all too commercial

5. Which of these 20th century American icons died on Halloween?

2.River Phoenix

6. From which phrase is the word Halloween derived?

3.All Hallows Eve

7. The Romans called Halloween Pomona Day. Who or what was Pomona?

2.The goddess of fruits and gardens.

8.Why is Halloween the busiest time of the year for David Bowman?

3.He owns the UK's biggest pumpkin farm

9.What were the first jack-o-lanterns made out of?

3.Turnips

10.By how much has spending on Halloween in Britain increased over the last five years?

3.900%