Classically French, deliciously fresh

Slightly built, but with an air of commanding authority, smiling French executive chef Olivier Perret now commands the kitchens of D.C.’s very upwardly looking ici Urban Bistro. Chic as it is, this restaurant-as-bistro needs food and atmosphere that is very French, and Perret is on hand to provide it.

Hailing from Burgundy, Perret, like most Frenchmen, grew up relishing freshly picked fruits and vegetables. It also has helped him develop his palate for all things farm-raised because he worked at his family’s produce stand in various farmers’ markets.

“I worked in farmers’ markets, particularly with mushrooms,” he adds, noting as well that his grandmother helped him forge his cooking skills.

“My grandmother was a good cook,” he says. “there were always interesting aromas in her kitchen … She showed me a few classic dishes from Burgundy, where there are many that use wine in cooking. She was the one who gave me the feeling that I should just cook.”

To refine his cooking skills, Perret attended the Ecole Hotelire Isle d’Abeau in Isere, France in Lyon for three years before moving on to apprentice at the renowned Restaurant La Tassée, also in Lyon.

“So when I was apprenticing, I was reminded of her [my grandmother],” he says.

After his internship, Perret decided to travel, and emigrated to Montreal, where he found a cooking scene very different from his home turf.

“Montreal was good for chefs,” he says. “We had produce, [good] breads, ducks, wine. I worked at Le Bernardin and then opened the Restaurant Renoir at the Sofitel Montreal.”

After three more years of gaining experience, Perret moved to Chicago, appreciating the abundance of the American marketplace.

“I found the gastronomic market very nice,” he says, “with its seasonal produce and plentiful poultry, from chicken to squab and quail.”

When he was offered his job at ici, Perret moved yet again, and as a relative newcomer — he’s been cooking in Washington since April of this year — he’s pleased with his reception.

“D.C. is a nice city,” he says. “I have met a few chefs already, and it is a good chef community. People are very helpful. In Chicago, it was much more competitive.”

His compatriots have been so helpful, in fact, that this newcomer to the D.C. scene has already hooked up with a Maryland farmer who brings in fresh produce to the ici kitchens.

“I have found good suppliers for other products, too,” he says, adding that the level of cooking in Washington is very high. “It’s challenging to work with such high-profile chefs coming in and raising the levels up.”

As he notes, his dad visited Washington recently to eat his son’s cooking, and Perret says he is “very proud” to have his son working in the nation’s capital. Well, chef Perret, surely everyone in the D.C. food world says “Bienvenu en Washington.”

Q&A with Chef Olivier Perret

Do you cook at home?

Yes, of course. I cook for my daughter duckling, carrots, pasta … I like to have people come in. [I] cook foie gras, poulet, duck maigret with Canadian maple syrup. My wife is Canadian.

What is your comfort food?

P‰té en croute (a p‰té cooked in a crust), rabbit in white wine or roasted chicken.

Which ingredients make up your basic pantry?

Shallots, garlic, fresh herbs, spices such as cumin, extra virgin olive oil and red and white balsamic vinegars.

What’s in your fridge?

Orange juice, lots of cheeses, not much meat, a piece of foie gras, herbs and charcuterie.

Which are your favorite restaurants?

Equinox, Café du Parc. I have to do more. Central, and I am looking forward to Citronelle.

From the Chef’s Kitchen

Braised Shorts Ribs with Mashed Carrots

Serves 2

An ideal meal for cooler weather. Look for already prepared veal stock at specialty food stores.

For the ribs

1 pound boneless beef short ribs

Salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbsp grapeseed oil

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

Bouquet garni of parsley sprigs, fresh thyme and bay leaves in cheesecloth

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup veal stock

2 Tbsp butter

Micro herbs and fresh herbs for garnish

For the mashed carrots

2 carrots

1/4 onion, diced

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, sear the ribs in 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil over medium heat until browned.

Remove the meat from the pan, discard the oil and replace with 1 Tbsp oil. Add the carrots, onions, celery and bouquet garni. Cook and caramelize the vegetables over medium-low heat until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, and cook until reduced by half. Add the ribs and the remaining 1 Tbsp oil and cover with chicken broth and veal stock. Cover the pan.

Bake 3 hours. Meanwhile, for the mashed carrots, cook the carrots and onion in water until softened. Mash with the butter and season to taste. Use the cooking broth for the sauce and add butter. Pour the sauce on the ribs. Garnish with seasonal and fresh micro herbs for decoration.