French chef in Russia: “Sanctions are like a challenge we enjoy“ | David Hemmerle, Grand Cru

🇫🇷 Meet David Hemmerle, the French head chef at Moscow’s “Grand Cru“ restaurant, one that boasts a Michelin star ⭐ and listed in the prestigious La Liste ranking! 🍷🍽️ David has been living and working in Moscow since 2001. He has a Russian wife, his kids were born in Russia, and he hopes to obtain a Russian citizenship soon. 🇷🇺 Was it difficult to leave France and start a new life in Russia during the early 2000s? Yes, it was! 😓 David experienced the era of Russian gangsters, fur coats, lots of girls at the same time, living in an old apartment with carpets and a Soviet-era red telephone. ☎️ Is it difficult to work in such a top-rated restaurant with all these sanctions slapped on Russia? No, it isn’t! 😀 “Sanctions are like a challenge that we enjoy: we are artists, so we improvise,“ says David. In addition, it also means that money doesn’t go outside the country because of sanctions. The domestic market is booming! 📈 The same ideas are shared by his good friends: famous 🇮🇹 Italian chef Mirko Zago, Jacky Wu, a 🇭🇰 Hong Kong chef in Moscow and Khasan Abduloev, Middle-Eastern quisine chef. Take a gourmand adventure and meet top-rated chefs and expats in Russia. Check out this mouthwatering episode and experience the French cuisine at its finest! 😋🍷🍽️ Watch 🎥 like ❤️ and subscribe 🔔 to Russian Code to stay updated! 00:00 Meet David Hemmerle 03:00 Russia in the 2000s 04:30 “Yes, chef!“ 05:00 “I had to adapt“: first days in Russia 07:10 Learning in Michelin star restaurants 08:26 Whom are we going to visit? 09:00 Why is Russia advancing rapidly? 09:20 Meet Mirko Zago, Italian chef in Moscow 10:54 Mirko’s signature sexy pasta recipe 12:36 “We are more Russian than some of the Russians“ 14:15 “Going back to France was difficult“ 15:35 Tasting a “Fabergé egg“ 16:50 Daily life in Russia - 2024 17:58 Meet Khasan Abduloev & his doner kebab 19:20 David’s signature scallops recipe 19:52 Russian vs. French mentality in restaurants 20:47 Meet Jacky Wu, Hong Kong chef in Moscow 21:23 David on sanctions: “Our business is booming!“ 21:56 Jacky on sanctions: “It’s challenging“ 22:27 “Russians can’t do wok“ 23:33 David & Jacky on sanctions: “So we adapt“ 26:05 Cooking veal sweetbread... 28:21 Frogs wanted! 29:14 Stereotypes about French cuisine in Russia 29:53 David’s signature Rossini dish 30:28 The end of the sh