Gerard Barbin
Photo: courtesy of Sensing
Gerard Barbin cut his teeth in some of his home country's finest kitchens. Prior to coming to Boston, the Frenchman worked in Paris under Guy Martin, and when offered the chance to run Martin's kitchen at his first stateside restaurant, the Fairmont Battery Wharf's Sensing, Barbin jumped at the chance. The Buzz recently caught up with Barbin to discuss his first experience working in an American kitchen.
Zagat Buzz: We're only a couple of months away from Sensing's first birthday – congrats! How has your experience working in an American restaurant been so far?
Gerard Barbin: It has been a wonderful experience, as business is good. We started in January in the middle of winter, but spring and especially summer with the patio were very busy. American diners are very enthusiastic about what we do at Sensing. We're doing something different, adventurous. Contemporary French cuisine is new for some customers.
ZB: Coming straight from the Parisian culinary world to Boston must have been quite the change. What were some of your initial impressions of the Boston dining scene, and of the city itself?
GB: Everybody asks me the same question: ‘How do you like Boston?’ I really like it. Boston is a welcoming city, with a strong identity.
There are a lot of good restaurants and chefs and a lot of strong areas for dining, like the North End, Back Bay, South End, Cambridge.
ZB: How would you rate the quality of available ingredients? Are they on a par with what you usually worked with in France? Have you been pleased or surprised by the quality or variety of our local ingredients and purveyors?
GB: I didn’t know when I first came in what I’d have for quality or choice. I did not have to import anything, and one of the goals is to use all local ingredients whenever possible. I was very impressed by the variety. The fish and seafood quality in Boston is phenomenal. The variety of vegetables and fruit is large also, in terms of color and form.
ZB: Sensing's menu is one of the most adventurous and playful in the city. Please describe your approach to cooking.
GB: I work with the season and the weather. If there are no chanterelles today, we use something else in accordance with the season, nothing fake. One important thing for me is the taste. We do a lot of tasting before adding a dish to the menu. I try also to educate the customer, bringing in some products that they don’t know about. Some old vegetables, grains or spices like the parsley root, amaranth or togarashi.
ZB: Final question: what, if anything, are you homesick for? Are there any foods, dishes or ingredients that you have not been able to find (or are not pleased with) around Boston?
GB: It’s not difficult, but the bakery on a corner of the street with a fresh baguette is something I miss.
– Eric Grossman