Two chefs, Lise Kvan and Eric Monteleon, bought a van, fixed it up, named it Marcel and plotted their course for a cross-country adventure. Their purpose? A search for the abundance of France through its sustainable farming and the people preserving traditional methods of organic agriculture, animal husbandry, butchery, cheese-making, baking, smoking, and preserving. Lise shares the back story behind their decision to hit the road with Bon Fond, who they’ve met so far and where you can find their goods in Paris. <UPDATE: the van has been permanently parked! You can now find Lise and Eric at their restaurant Le Saint Hubert in the Luberon!>
As we packed our bags, organized the van, and drove away from the city, I knew I’d miss Paris. But the promise of meeting artisans and farmers across France was about to become a reality, a journey I had dreamt of since working at Astrance, a three-star Michelin restaurant in the 16th arrondissement in Paris. Every day, we would receive the most precious of ingredients, delivered to the restaurant doorstep, often by the producer themselves. To cook with the fruits of the producer’s labor was an honor and I yearned to see where…
