Meet Chef Jeremy Cheminade, the culinary maestro behind the delectable creations at Qatar Museums Restaurants which include IDAM, Jiwan, Café #999 and MIA Café. QH had the privilege to sit down with him and delve into his journey, influences, challenges, and culinary vision.
QH: What moment in your early days made you decide to become a chef? Who influenced you the most?
Cheminade: I was about 15 years old when I first set foot in a professional kitchen. My father was Maître d’hôtel at a Michelin-starred restaurant and they needed a dishwasher so I started working there after school. I would watch the cooks in action; fascinated with their precision and attention to detail. I saw how guests would spend hours dining and leave incredibly happy. I knew then that was what I wanted to do, to make people happy through cooking. My father was honest with me when I started my apprenticeship – he warned me about the long days, he told me that I’d have to follow every instruction to the T, that I’d have countless moments of self-doubt. But he was my biggest supporter from the beginning. He’s my role model, I can only hope to reach his level of wisdom and experience.
QH: How have Michelin-starred chefs like Gerald Passedat and Pierre Gagnaire shaped your cooking and menu creation?
Cheminade: I’ve been very fortunate to work with these extraordinary chefs, and they’ve had a huge influence on the way I cook. Pierre Gagnaire told me, “I destroy what I build because by force of habit, the form is there but not the substance”. Gérald Passedat’s philosophy is to remove a dish from his menu once he feels it is perfect – until that point it is constantly evolving. This has become my approach. Every dish comes through me; I taste, I redo, I modify. Each guest experience must be unique, it takes time to understand this.
QH: Moving from France to Qatar, what were your biggest challenges, and how have you adapted local flavours to your dishes?
Cheminade: My first and biggest challenge was the language – my English was quite basic, even now! I had to learn as much food and management vocabulary as possible in a very short time. It was also my first experience of Arab culture and food, so it was an incredibly exciting experience. I immersed myself in it; I went to many restaurants, tried countless dishes, asked about spices and cooking techniques. I spent most of my free time at Souq Waqif, walking around, smelling the incredible smells, and tasting all the spices. I would stay there for hours, sometimes without really doing anything other than just sitting on a bench immersed in the magical atmosphere. It was a great way to understand the culinary culture. I started cooking recipes from several Middle Eastern cookbooks, then tweaking them over and over until I got what I wanted.
QH: What culinary trends do you see emerging, and how do you plan to incorporate them into your menus?
Cheminade: Sustainability through zero-waste cooking might be a current trend, but I have always believed it should be part of the ethos of every kitchen. I favour organic, untreated products, so I can use every part from the skin to the core and the tops to the root!
Short Shots
Favourite travel destination: Lyon, my hometown!
Most favourite book: Le grand livre de cuisine by Alain Ducasse
Project of pride: Earn as many Michelin stars as possible in Doha
Best advice received: Stay humble, keep learning
Unwinding after a long day: Family and sport – or maybe sport and family in that order (laughs!)
