Jean-Luc Rocha : Young talent in its pure state…

A sommelier’s secret garden Pauillac

Jean-Luc Rocha

Young talent in its pure state…

Perfectionist, analysing the why and the wherefore of a recipe, starting from a product of the terroir, a regional product, an emotion, a memory, rather against institutions and classic school codes, he found his way as encounters with great professionals dictated, to be, recently, on the news at Cordeillan Bages, “Relais & Châteaux” in Bages.


After a classic cooking training, he decides to join the leaders... in the pragmatic and creative world of the haute cuisine. In 1997, he meets his mentor, Gilles Blandin, who will hand down his Ariadne's thread: working to excellence and self-demanding to surpass himself… He even suggested to him to try to obtain, one day, the title of MOF*…
Experience after experience at great Star Chefs', he decides, in 2002, to take the plunge from the Côtes du Rhône to the Bordeaux region. A new stage in his "traveller and culinary explorer" route. Right in the middle of the harvest, he begins near Bordeaux at Cordeillan Bages, supervised, during 3 years, by media Thierry Marx, Star Chef since 2000. In 2005, he becomes Executive Chef at the “Relais Gastronomique” of Cordeillan Bages, created in 1989 by Jean-Michel Cazes, who wanted, throughout those years, revive the village of Bages and give a true oenotouristic dimension to this gem of the Médoc. New challenge, two years later : still demanding a lot of himself as well as of his staff (incidentally : a very young cooking team, which includes 2 young women), he covets the title of Best Craftsman of France!... Success!... Consecration in 2007.

<< Château Cordeillan-Bages

Since Thierry Marx's departure this year, he heads the restaurant with the same team, instilling a new culinary spirit. A recognizable, reassuring, creative and aesthetic cooking.
“We must put our soul and our heart in the cooking which we realize if we want it to bring pleasure and that everyone can keep gustatory emotions as with a great wine.” he likes to say. “My know-how combines technique and modernity to classicism. Exuberance in cooking is not an end in itself and can succeed only if it leans on the rigour of the gesture and a big technical mastery of the basis of my profession.”.

*Meilleur Ouvrier de France : Best Craftsman of France

Florence Varaine

For 5 persons:

The fresh pasta:
- 150 gr. of fresh pasta
- 10 gr. of butter
- 1/2 coffee spoon of smoked Lapsang Souchong tea

The warm oysters:
- 500 gr. of pork crepine (pig's caul)
- 150 gr. of sausage meat made
of Aldudes pork meat
(Basque region)
- 10 Gillardeau N°0 oysters

The oyster sauce:
- 15 cl of oyster juice
- 1 shallot
- 5 cl of white wine
- 50 gr. of double cream
A recipe from Jean-Luc Rocha

of Château Cordeillan-Bages - Pauillac

«Cochon des Aldudes et spéciale Gillardeau façon crépinette»

A delight with a mischievous and extravagant side on an original ‘delicately iodized’ final!

Cook the fresh pasta during 2 minutes in salty water. Drain and add a pinch of smoked tea and the butter. Keep warm.

Open the oysters, recover the juice which will be used for the sauce. Drop 1 coffee spoon of sausage meat under an oyster and roll up the crepine. Put aside.

Mix the oyster juice with the snipped shallot and the white wine. Reduce and add the double cream. Reduce

of 1/3 and emulsify just before serving with a small blender.

Brown the crepinettes (rolls) and cook a few minutes to obtain a light colouring on the bottom and in order to cook the meat and warm the oyster.

Dress two crepinettes per person in a soup plate, on a bed of smoked tea flavoured pasta and lay a dash of oyster juice emulsion.

Jean-Michel Cazes, owner of the Domaines Cazes and the Cordeillan Bages Hotel Restaurant, and
Jean-Luc Rocha, Chef at the Relais, suggest….
Château Lynch Bages 2002: A classical vintage which carries a special emotion for JL Rocha, being the year of his arrival in Cordeillan.
The subtle bouquet, the density, the elegance, the freshness and the structure of this great Pauillac red wine, are highlighted by the flavours, texture and flesh of the dish.

Château Cordeillan-Bages
Route des Châteaux,
33250 Pauillac

Tel: +33 (0)5 56 59 24 24
Fax: +33 (0)5 56 59 01 89

www.cordeillanbages.com
www.relaischateaux.com

<