One of the biggest changes I’ve felt in my encounters with Parisians over the last several years is their budding need to follow their passions, even if that means eschewing the stable trajectory and semblance of security that corporate jobs have traditionally offered. Bénédicte Mesny, a young mother of two, left her career in the jewelry industry to pursue a much more personal vocation — offering French cooking classes from her home in the 17th arrondissement.
Aptly called The Parisian Kitchen, Mesny’s concept emerged from a genuine affection for cooking and entertaining. Turning her home into an open space for locals and visitors who are curious about French cooking, but who wish to learn in a more intimate space, allows her to do both several times a week.
She offers three different lunch menus – poultry, fish or meat (vegetarian is on the horizon!) – but each cooking experience begins with a visit to her local market street to pick up provisions. Bryan Pirolli and I opted for the poultry menu and found ourselves getting schooled by the butcher on which cuts were best for the dish we were to prepare (we needed the lesson!). Further along, the cheesemonger guided us toward…
