In France, Kebab continues to reinvent itself

In France, her brooch also turns heads. Far from the banks of the Rhine, the kebab invites itself to the traditional baguette world, to the table of gourmets and gourmets. Very good, it has been for many years, and especially after the imprisonment, one of the most popular dishes taken by the French, sometimes praised, sometimes criticized, while it is not political. If you like kebab culture, you will be happy to go Ozlem in Paris, with a chubby sandwich and delicious saliva, as the Turks do, playing with a few ingredients, some have recently given freedom to their courage. Witness Noé Lazare, whose small shop Gemusewhich was established in the XVIII century^e district of Paris, is always crowded. With his eyes fixed on his fellow Berliners, the jack-of-all-trades reveals his life as a chef with the help of original recipes.

Because it is more than a function of assembly, the kebab is here only an art, drawing on this rich heritage, which makes it popular: Unlike Germany and the great presence of Turkish people, “In fact it was the Greeks with gyros who brought the tradition to France, especially to Place Saint-Michel in Paris. Hence the saying: eat Greekhe explains. But, in Berlin, I was impressed by the recipes of the famous ‘Mustafa’ or ‘Rüyam Gemüse Kebab’ for example, using a little red cabbage, pidé bread which is a traditional Turkish bread , until now not used. all over France in this sandwich. It is a lightly toasted bread with sesame seeds. Everything is very rich, generous, beautiful, with different shapes. »

A new method every month

Neither Turkish nor Greek, the young chef was inspired by what was happening in Berlin street food to create a kebab boasting vegetables, from zucchini to tomato, and choosing light chicken. it is very tender, or turkey, which is cheaper. There, we relaxed into regional meetings, Noé Lazare fortifying his sandwiches with Japanese curry, plantain, red beans or melted cheddar. “Often we have the idea that kebabs are junk food, two or three taken from the fridge. Every month, I present a new recipe inspired by a different culture. One of my favorites is our Moroccan version, with semolina bread, coriander sauce and Garnish with carrots and cumin, sweet lemon and green olives. »

The desire to have fun in the kitchen, to restore the kebab, has also been found, for several years now, in three pioneers of this type: the three created by Marie Carcassonne, from the world of the hotel industry, Hugo Desnoyer, the butcher star, and Frédéric Peneau, the restaurateur who used to collaborate and popular tables. The Chateaubriand and The dolphin in Paris. Together, they launched a popular shop in 2013 Gate in Paris, little change in capital. “I remembered very well our tastes in Syria, Turkey, Kurdistan, this lightly smoked meat grilled over a wood fire, a very simple sauce. Faced with the emergence of hamburger restaurants in France, I said to myself, it’s crazy: no one has ever started a more kebab style.recalls Frédéric Peneau. But beware, there is a false simplicity associated with this dish: it is very different! On our side, we make our bread every morning, our spits, skewers, all our sauces. »

The most important part of this information: good spitting, which is related to the quality of the meat as it is to cook, to take part fried, caramelized meat. To prevent them from drying out, they must be cut regularly, at the right time. If Frédéric Peneau now likes to dream of new kebabs, including fish inspired by the mackerel sandwich he ate in Turkey, he serves the so-called traditional kebab in his restaurant: homemade bread, and flour Moulin des Moines bios, homemade harissa. , a white mint sauce with a tzatziki texture. From the traditional triptych – tomato onion salad – to the repeated kebab, the success of this dish is confirmed in the four corners of France, to the political scientist Jérôme Fourquet, the author. France before us (2021), he drew a new painting.

A challenge sandwich

Because the sandwich is so popular, it’s because it’s up against the odds. Why? Small room service and skewers are often prepared in small factories, decorated with dried vegetables. “Of course, like the burger, the kebab is progressing, he realizes. But many businesses remain focused on popular foods. Especially since there are no big kebab chains in France, this is something special. As a financial service, it allows people to establish themselves and create jobs. »

So their share is increasing, while other businesses have not stopped, since the epidemic, to close their shops. “This is why it can also be a sign of economic and social health, as Nicolas Mathieu said in his book ‘Their children after them’.he continues. From a collective point of view, the abundance of kebabs in one place is a sign of the high presence of tourists and the poverty of the neighborhood or city in question. On the right, there is also the issue of kebabization of other areas. However, sometimes we read that the French eat more pizza than the Italians, this did not bother anyone. No one is politically offended by the great success of sushi or Chinese cuisine.”he laughs.

Instrumentalised, the dish on the spit could not make people talk in politics. And making lovers of more, better, and cheaper food salivate. To the house of Gate, despite inflation, there are many openings planned, from Strasbourg to Dijon, via Marseille. A small company that knows no problems.