Mr &M rs Bund - Mr. Paul Pairet

Chef Paul Pairet is a culinary egalitarian. Whether using tinned sardines to produce sophisticated, avant-garde fine dining, or using sophisticated, avant-garde techniques to produce the simplest of French and global dishes, he approaches both with an equal lack of prejudice and unbiased opinion. Restaurants, the same. Pairet came to Shanghai in 2005 to open Jade on 36 at the Pudong Shangri-La. In three short years, he staked out an international reputation for his highly personal and completely original cuisine: often exaggerated, highly technical plays on texture, temperature, and preconceived expectations. With Mr & Mrs Bund comes a shift of direction for the chef, a democratic flourish that embraces the foods of the world. Viewed casually, Mr & Mrs Bund’s populist formula seems a radical departure from the sophisticated, avant-garde cuisine of Jade on 36. But at its heart is a unique democracy of vision, an undercurrent that unites the two. Pairet is adamant about the equality of ingredients, looking at them for what they are, devoid of context, as opposed to what they might be, an approach he terms “the newborn’s eye”. He insists that a canned sardine is not in any way “worse” than a fresh one, nor are truffles intrinsically more suited to fine dining than Coca Cola. All of them can be found in his cooking, at various occasions. In the same spirit, his daring avant-gardism is no “better” than the populist simplicity of Mr & Mrs Bund. In one, the technical theater is on the plate; in the other, it’s a means to an end, a new approach that results in inspired renditions of old favourites, perhaps with a twist. SUBHEADING: The press talks about Paul… “An intriguing artist who calls himself a chef.” (Flavours, Malaysia) “The chef is masterful, turbulent and totally unpredictable. His products are top-notch.” (Le Figaro, France) “Paul Pairet triumphs with the most unexpected combinations. Fine dining is rarely this much fun.” (The Economist, UK) “…cooks like a dream.” (Globe & Mail, Canada) “He has talent, imagination and an impish wit. [His food] is lively, elegant and lives up to its promise.” (France, France) “Paul Pairet introduced to [Shanghai] the revolutionary molecular cuisine that appeals to those who want to test their imagination.” (TTG Asia, Singapore)