At the Chef's Table
Ariane Daguin
- D'Artagnan
How did you get involved with City Harvest?
I believe D'Artagnan started to be involved more than 10 years ago, when friends and chefs told me about City Harvest.
Why is hunger an important issue for you?
In our business, food is so abundant. We often take that for granted, and forget there is real hunger and that we can do something to change that.
How has your involvement with City Harvest affected your outlook on food and/or hunger in New York City?
When my daughter was still in New York, we did the weekly rounds to deliver food to shelters in different neighborhoods. It is mind boggling to realize that people are starving, right here, in the same city we live and thrive in.
What is your favorite part about working with different restaurants around the city?
Getting to know an amazing group of talented and dedicated people who work hard at what they do. And tasting their food!
What is your favorite type of food to eat?
I do not have a favorite type. However, I can taste when it has been prepared with heart and soul.
What is your favorite type of food to make?
I like to "mijoter" (slow cooking). So the house smells great, there is always a great deal of leftovers, and it is no fuss to serve to my friends.
What can you not live without in your kitchen?
D’Artagnan duck fat
What is in your refrigerator?
Duck demi glace and black truffle butter
What inspired you to focus on working in the food industry?
I grew up in the food industry, back in France where my family has been chefs for generations. I came to America to do something entirely different with my life. But this business must be in my blood, because it found me here!
What is it like to be a woman in a male-dominated field?
In France, where my father’s name is well-known, it was my younger brother who inherited the toque, so to speak. There was no place for me there. So even though it is a male-dominated field here, there’s a lot of room in that field for a woman to play.
What is your favorite junk food?
Gummy Bears
Tell us about what the 25th anniversary means for D'Artagnan.
It means that my little dream has made it to a milestone.
What are the plans for the future?
Trying to entice my daughter Alix to help me continue to source the best raised meats, and offer it to consumers aware of the importance of eating well for their well-being.
What was the last best meal you had?
Le Carré des Feuillants, Alain Dutournier's restaurant in Paris. AMAZING!
