Yannick Cam
Photo: courtesy of Michael Birchenall, Food Service Monthly
Zagat Buzz chatted with highly regarded chef Yannick Cam (ex Le Paradou) about his upcoming project Bistro Provence, which will bring his refined versions of Med-French cooking (at recession-friendly prices) to 4933 Fairmont Ave., Bethesda, in late October.
Zagat Buzz: Will you reprise Provence, your West End destination that was so popular in the '90s?
Yannick Cam: Yes, I will be making some of those dishes, like squid stuffed with lavender and pine nuts, wheat berry soup with cured sausage and duck confit. But I will be using more local products – sourced from some of the same farmers that I use for my kitchen at home. I will be very organic.
ZB: What is it that attracts you to the food of Southern France?
YC: Although I am from Brittany, the Provençal style of cooking has interested me for a long time. It's very flexible, using a large spectrum of ingredients, and techniques, from along the coast of the Mediterranean. It offers a large canvas for a chef – to be very simple, as well as sophisticated. Moreover, it's a healthy cuisine, using olive oil. It’s the way I eat.
ZB: What will the restaurant look like?
YC: It is a bistro, so it will have a casual feel, with the traditional yellow walls, a wood and granite bar – and ironwork. There will be a large, stone-walled patio outside, as well as a sidewalk cafe. My kitchen will be open so that diners can watch us cooking.
ZB: What can you tell us about the menu?
YC: Downstairs, it will be relatively short and moderately priced, with appetizers between $6.50–$12 and entrees between $17–$25. I will offer small plates to share that should appeal to people who want to stop by for a drink. Next spring, we'll open the second floor, where I will serve tasting menus.