By Elizabeth Harper By Elizabeth Harper | August 25, 2021 | Food & Drink, People,
Meet Palm Beach’s newest private chef.
Chef Loïc Thomas shows off his eye-catching dishes on his Instagram feed, @chefloicthomas
As with most of the world, chef Loïc Thomas was forced to perform the now all too familiar pandemic pivot. After arriving in Palm Beach in 2020, the Alsace native soon found himself in a similar position to many of his culinary comrades—the restaurant industry suffering from massive layoffs, kitchens closed and whipping up masterful dishes at home rather than for fine diners. But, Thomas says, “I always wanted to open something of my own.” While working alongside Thierry and Martine Miroir of Blue Provence to prepare takeaway meals during the pandemic, Thomas seized his moment. “The mentalities were changing, and a lot of people were looking for a personal chef to have one special night (at least) in their own privacy and a safe environment,” he says. “It was the perfect opportunity to start.” And thus his private culinary service, Chef Loïc Thomas was born.
Fresh berry pancakes and French toast courtesy of the private chef.
Influenced by his childhood in France, his 15 years in kitchens in the U.S. and his natural curiosity to discover and master new cuisines, Thomas serves an intriguing melange of dishes that pull from rich cooking traditions across the world—think French, Mediterranean, Italian, Middle Eastern and more. As he preps healthful meals for clients, Thomas takes us behind the scenes, revealing what it’s like to be chef for a day.
Mixed salad with cucumber gelee, berry coulis, tomato, carrot, zucchini, cucumber, green beans, mushroom, pickled pearl onion, caramelized pecan, raspberries, blueberries, chives, celery and vegetable chips
7AM
I usually wake up around 7 or 7:30, depending on if I must go to the market to buy some fresh products or not. I wake up, take a shower, wish a good day to my wife and start my day.
9AM
I go to work at Blue Provence around 9 or 10:30. When I have a private dinner for a client, I do my mise en place—when I butcher the fish, carve the meat, braise the vegetables, etc.—the evening before.
5:30PM
I finish my shift at Blue Provence around 5:30 or 6. On the days I cook for clients, I finish a little earlier, go to the client’s home where I finish my mise en place and cook the last preparation a la minute before serving the meal. If I don’t have a private dinner, I take advantage of this time and think about the menu proposals and do some exercise (mostly running, biking or skating). I also plan our Sunday off together with my wife and my daughter. On Sundays we cook a big brunch to enjoy together as a family.
N.Y. strip steak with bordelaise sauce, pureed and confit parsnip, petit pois a la Française, Afila pea and pommes soufflees.
11PM
I finish my day around 11 or 12, sometimes later if I’m prepping for a client. When I am at the client’s place, I finish my workday by cleaning the kitchen, leaving the place spotless and disinfected—like I was never there. Because I come home late, my wife and I usually eat at home, except on Sundays, when we like to go out or order some food. I enjoy a light dinner with my wife, who is nice enough to wait for me, and a tisane [herbal tea] while watching a few episodes of our TV show of the moment. These days we are watching How I Met Your Mother.
“My approach to cuisine hinges on a fundamental philosophy of respect for the wishes of my customers, for the quality of the products I utilize in my recipes and for the delicate balance of nature that allows for the finest ingredients to be produced,” Thomas says.
Photography by: Leila Thomas