Pierre Khodja – Marseille
Algerian born Pierre Khodja grew up in Marseille. After a stellar early career in Paris and London, he moved to Australia where he quickly achieved cult status and many awards. He is now executive chef at Terminus restaurant, at the Flinders Hotel on the Mornington Peninsula. He was awarded a Chef's Hat by The Age Good Food Guide for three consecutive years – 2013, 2014 and 2015, and was the HM Hotel Chef of the Year for 2013.
See flindershotel.com.au.
Where is the best table in Marseille?
For this I can't go past Le Petit Nice – Passedat. The restaurant sits right by the water and boasts beautiful views from every table. Chef Gerald Passedat dished up a ten-course degustation for us last time we were there. It was a truly amazing experience. See passedat.fr.
The local food find of the past year?
Something you don't see in Melbourne restaurants very often, which I discovered on my last trip to Marseille, is sea urchin served fresh on ice. It's an unusual dish that goes perfectly with Campari.
What's Marseille's best-kept food secret?
A good bouillabaisse is actually hard to find in Marseille, but I'd have to say Chez Michel serves the best in town. You may have to put up with shirty service, but the seafood comes straight from the port to the plate. It's well worth it. See restaurant-michel-13.fr.
Where do you go for a big night out?
It wasn't exactly a big night out, but I was shown the local pub with a few chefs after service one evening. A late-night beer and pastis at O'Brady's provided a memorable glimpse into where the locals go. See obradys.com.
Favourite indulgence in Marseille?
To balance all the eating and drinking one might indulge in in Marseille, I highly recommend heading to a traditional Moroccan hammam (Turkish bath). I stumbled upon La Bastide des Bains on the Rue Sainte one day, which sits right in the heart of Marseille, and indulged in some much-needed serenity. See bastide-des-bains.com.
What to avoid food-wise in Marseille?
As great as it is to get experimental with street food while travelling, be careful of some dodgy street vendors – their mille feuille and doughnuts look better than they taste. I'd suggest hitting up one of the local bakeries for scrumptious, traditional French patisserie instead.
What's hot in the area right now?
Traditionally, Marseille food is very old-school French. Lately, however, there are a lot more Mediterranean places opening, little bistros with Spanish and Italian influences with great tapas-style food. Late-night jazz bars are also popular.
