Memorable meals come from whole experience food, service, ambience
Francois Sanchez is a familiar name in suburban culinary circles and he's cooking at a place unfamiliar to many people.
Sanchez pleased diners with tapas plates at Granada and later with specialties from his homeland along the French/Spanish border at Chez Francois in Geneva. His cuisine earned him critical praise as well and in 1996, he was inducted into the Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Since 2007, as an employee of food service conglomerate Aramark, Sanchez has headed up culinary operations at Q Center, a conference and training center on the sprawling grounds of what was once the Arthur Andersen complex in St. Charles.
Sanchez and his wife live in St. Charles where they are raising three children.
What prompted you to become a chef? I lived next door to a gourmet hotel restaurant in the south of France as a teenager and worked there during the weekends. I loved the intriguing aromas and the great level of energy in the kitchen. That had a profound impact on me from very early on.
What is your culinary style? I consider my cooking style essentially based on classical techniques with major emphasis on flavors, textures and presentation.
Describe your typical day at Q Center. I start my day at 6 a.m. planning the various daily meals, receptions, banquets or tastings with the departments, chefs and supervisors. In the morning or afternoon I will attend a directors' meeting. During meals service, I focus on food quality and presentation. And all day long I am coaching and mentoring our culinary team in order to be the best in our business.
What's your favorite part of your role at Q Center? I enjoy being able to interact every day with a staff and other departments, representing our culinary team. It's our job to make sure the food enhances our guests' effectiveness and ability to focus on what they're here to do. The best part is how we all work together to assure that our guests have a memorable experience at Q Center.
Have you had any unusual culinary requests from Q Center guests? We don't think any culinary requests are unusual. Our guests come from all over the world and we like to make them feel as at-home as possible. We do handle as many as 30 special requests per week, usually related to food sensitivities or faith-based dietary restrictions.
If you could tell people one thing about Q Center that you think they don't know what would it be? Q Center is the premier conference center in the country with the most skilled and passionate team in the business. Our culinary team is professionally trained and more talented than most people realize. We create some amazing food - especially in our buffet-style dining room.
Where do you shop for groceries for home? Do you have any favorite stores or products? During harvest time I like to shop at the farmers' stands when possible otherwise Trader Joe's or Fresh Market.
What is the most memorable meal that you've either prepared or eaten? My most memorable meal was a bouillabaisse (seafood stew) from the Mas de Roquebrune in Monaco. Part of what made it memorable was the spectacular view over the Mediterranean Sea. The best meals are always a result of the total experience. The food, service and ambience all combine to make a memorable meal.
What's your favorite comfort food? In the summer a good vegetable gazpacho and a light tuna and rice salad. In the winter my wife Betsy makes a fabulous pot roast and garlic mashed potatoes.
Do you have any favorite cookbooks or culinary figures that you admire? I enjoy reading all cookbooks with a preference for "Feasts for All Seasons" from Roy Andries de Groot. The culinary figure that I admire is Mr. Paul Bocuse. He put a patrimonial way of cooking onto the world map. He is now over 80 years seasoned and still running his culinary business empire!
What do you do in your free time? I am an outdoor person and enjoy all outdoors activities during my free time. I enjoy gardening and going to antique shows or flea markets. I particularly enjoy traveling.
Tell us about this dish. Petits Farcais Provencaux. Coming from the south of France and enjoying gardening, I find this simple recipe flavorful, healthy, eye-appealing and relatively easy to prepare. If you are passionate about food to the point of growing your own garden, this is an easy and fun recipe to put together in the summer months when the vegetables are freshest.
• To recommend a chef to be profiled, write to food@dailyherald.com.
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