An up-and-coming chef from Quebec sold everything to pursue his haute-cuisine dream and take off with a one-way ticket to Sweden, where he landed an internship at one of the most exclusive restaurants on the planet.
“I sold my bike, I sold my car, and I no longer have an apartment in Quebec. I left with my suitcase, my knives, and a one-way ticket, and I don’t know when I’ll be back,” says Guillaume Leduc, 24, who until recently was assistant chef at Bistro B in Paris. Rue Quartier, in Quebec.
The ambitious young man moved to Stockholm a few days ago to begin a 3-month internship at the Frantzén Restaurant, the only one in Sweden and one of 140 in the world to have been awarded three stars in the famous gastronomic guide Michelin, the highest accolade bestowed by its anonymous inspectors.
Originally from Rimouski, he had to give up training in great restaurants at the end of his student career in Montreal, in 2020, due to the pandemic.
That’s why he of his own asked to order the star-studded Swedish restaurant, which specializes in Scandinavian gastronomy with Japanese inspiration. And it worked!
The best
“[C’est un restaurant] Which I have been a fan of for a long time, and which I follow on Instagram. I adhere to the chef’s mentality 100%, to the rigor of the three stars and all that,” says Mr. Leduc of Frantzen Kitchens, in a calm and confident tone.
As you might expect, rigor and professionalism prevail at this prestigious 23-seat establishment, where a full meal with alcohol costs nearly C$1,200 per person.
Therefore perfection, nothing less, is what is expected and desired, and every effort is made to provide an unforgettable experience. “All the little details are taken into account.”
He also learned it the bit the hard way when, on his first day on the job, his head chef pointed out to him that his uniform—which had just been provided to him—wasn’t ironed. “Since that time, I have ironed my shirts very well!” says Guillaume Leduc.
dream
For him, whose ultimate goal is to open his own restaurant one day, it is a dream come true while content with the best produce in his field and the best in the world.
“To be among those people, at this level of recovery, a few years ago I would have never considered doing that. That’s for sure.”
At the moment, he does not know what awaits him after this unpaid internship. His goal: to learn from his peers as much as he can and, if possible, to attract the attention of management, who, precisely, are recruiting chefs for a new restaurant in Dubai…
“I just try to stand out, do my best all the time. Then, I think there are only good things that can happen if we have that situation there.
His former boss couldn’t be more proud of him.
Guillaume is a kitchen thinker. […] It’s a big step for him. That’s what he wants. That’s what he’s always wanted. It’s boring because we’ve lost a good employee, but at the same time, it’s good for him. That’s what’s important, it’s his personal development,” says chef and owner of Bistro B, François Blais.
Michelin stars around the world
- 2787 1-Star Restaurants – “Outstanding” and “Worth a Stop” Food
- 492 two-star restaurants – “extraordinary” cuisine worth a detour
- 140 3-star restaurants – “unique” dishes worth visiting
- The star system was born in 1926
- In Canada there are 20 1-star establishments, only 1 is 2-star and none are 3-star
Source: Michelin Guide website
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