New chef brings French flavour to the table

May 21 2010 by Denis Brown, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

GETTING to grips with a potato peeler gave French chef Romuald Denesle a firm handle on his craft.

Now 32 and just appointed as head chef at Perth’s acclaimed Opus One restaurant following the tragic death of predecessor Ryan Young, Romy’s entree to the kitchen was at age 15.

The son of a chef from a small Normandy village, the first two years of his apprenticeship at nearby Louviers were not exactly master chef material.

“I peeled potatoes and washed dishes for the first two years before I was thought worthy of holding a pan,” he recalled.

However, Romy’s expertise with the humble spud came in handy during a three-week placement in Paris at Louis Grondard’s then two-star Michelin restaurant Drouant, at age 17.

“That was a very big deal, working alongside top chefs and learning so much, everything you do has to be absolutely perfect, even dicing potatoes, which by then I was quite good at,” he said.

Next year at famous Parisian fish restaurant Charlot Roi des Coquillages, head chef Marc Chalopin took him under his wing.

“He taught me how to use all the produce – nothing gets thrown away, from the bones to the fillet, every piece gets used,” he said.

As a young Frenchman living in one of the world’s most romantic cities, it was only a matter of time before cupid’s arrow struck a direct hit, with Romy falling in love with a Scottish girl from Pitlochry.

About 10 years ago the pair relocated to England so that Romy could perfect his English while working in one-star Michelin restaurant, Fleur de Sel in Sussex.

“And then we travelled the world, twice, six months each time, places like India, south-east Asia, New Zealand, Australia and South America,” he said.

Afterwards the globetrotters moved to Scotland, with Romy working as sous chef at Dalhousie Castle, near Edinburgh, and more recently at Perthshire’s renowned Ardeonaig.

While the duo separated last year, they remain close friends, with Romy recently joining Opus One to replace award-winning chef Ryan Young, who died after his motorbike collided with a 4x4 on the A9 last month.

New County Hotel director Owen Boyle said staff were still mourning the loss of “rising star” Ryan, adding that it had been extremely difficult to find another head chef of such a high calibre.

“We were so lucky to find someone like Romy so early in our search for a top chef, and while we all miss Ryan dearly, the feedback from our regulars about Romy’s cuisine has been highly positive,” he said.

Romy, meanwhile, said he had felt awkward about the circumstances of his new appointment but had received a warm welcome.

“I obviously have big shoes to fill, especially in a place like Opus One, but I hope to build on Ryan’s outstanding work and take it further,” he said.

“The menu will become gradually different to reflect my style of cooking.”