In this episode of Cider Chat, we sit down with Chef Ivan Vautier a Michelin-starred chef from Normandy, France, to discuss his approach to pairing cider with food and incorporating it into his dishes. Normandy, as a region is renowned for its cider, Calvados and Pommeau. As such it offers a unique perspective on how this traditional beverage is used in high-end cuisine.
Ivan Vautier
But does cider get the attention it deserves in fine dining? The answer might surprise you. While this Michelin Chef Vautier highlights some classic applications, like poaching foie gras in cider, the conversation reveals a deeper challenge: even in cider's heartland, it appears that cider's potential remains under appreciated in haute cuisine.
Key Takeaways from a Michelin-Starred Chef
Traditional Uses of Cider: Chef Vautier shared his method for preparing foie gras terrine poached in cider, complemented by a semi-dry cider pairing. While a delightful tradition, it underscores the entrenched view of cider as a regional staple rather than an innovative culinary element.
Critique of Heavy Cuisine: He addressed the overuse of cream in Normandy dishes, advocating for lighter preparations that let cider's acidity and flavor shine—a refreshing perspective for modern palates.
Missed Opportunities: The chef noted that cider could rival champagne as an aperitif.
To create this new vision for cider, Chefs both in France and world wide must be called upon to rev up a sense of enthusiasm and vision to champion this transformation.
Cod and Dupont Cidre pairing
A Call to Action for the Cider Community
This episode highlights the need for cider enthusiasts and producers to work together to elevate cider's status in fine dining. Here are some ideas discussed:
Cider Education for Chefs: Host tastings and workshops to showcase cider's complexity and versatility, inspiring chefs to integrate it more deeply into their menus.
Collaborative Menus: Develop cider-focused tasting menus and co-create signature ciders tailored for specific cuisines.
Inspiring Innovation: Highlight cider's potential as a lighter, fresher alternative to traditional ingredients like cream or wine in sauces and reductions.
Elevating Cider's Image: Serve cider in elegant glassware and market it as a sophisticated aperitif to attract fine dining audiences.
Engaging the Culinary World: Partner with culinary schools, host cider-focused food festivals, and celebrate chefs who innovate with cider through awards and recognition.
Dessert at Ivan Vautier
Why This Matters
Cider is more than just a beverage—it's a bridge between tradition and innovation. This episode sheds light on the barriers holding cider back in fine dining and offers actionable steps to move forward. By working together, producers and enthusiasts can inspire chefs to see cider not just as a drink, but as a transformative ingredient worthy of the world's finest tables.
Enjoyed this episode? Don't miss more conversations like this! Subscribe to Cider Chat on your favorite podcast platform, and share this episode with friends who love cider and fine dining.
Support Cider Chat: Your support helps keep these conversations flowing! Visit CiderChat.com to learn how you can help.
Mentions in this Cider Chat
CiderCon2025 Promo Code - Once you get to the registration form, towards the end of the first page you'll reach a section in the form that says "additional registration information" and there is a question: If you have a coupon, please enter code here (case-sensitive): CiderChat
#xpromoteCider - Tips of the glass to the following brands! Do follow them on instagram!
There’s a whole world in a glass of cider, and Cider Chat is your invitation to explore it. Hosted by award-winning cidermaker and writer Ria Windcaller, this podcast travels far beyond the bottle to meet the people who make the global cider culture so vibrant. Each conversation is a journey-you might find yourself in a heritage orchard learning the history of forgotten apple varieties, in a bustling taproom with an importer explaining regional traditions, or in a kitchen with a chef pairing cider with unexpected foods. The discussions get into the delightful nuances, too, whether that’s the semantics of what we even call this drink or how the concept of terroir translates from soil to sip. It’s not just about production; it’s about the community, the travel, and the stories that fermentation unlocks. This is for anyone curious about the craft, history, and sheer enjoyment of fermented apple juice in all its forms. So, pour a glass and settle in for a series that feels like a wide-ranging, informative, and genuinely good-humored chat with friends who happen to be obsessed with cider. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for every effervescent, tart, or sweet sip, hearing directly from the growers, makers, and enthusiasts who are shaping this drink’s exciting present and future.
Sign up for the New England Cider Tour November 1st! The first Franklin County CiderDays began as a one day event on the first Saturday of November. The year was 1994. It has been held on the first weekend of November ev…
Kees Morsink and Margaret Van Helvoort have traveled the world as United Nations aid workers in Africa where they were fermenting everything from yogurt to mango and even doing some distilling. Cider isn't new to these t…
What do you do before a cider tour sets sail from Paris to Normandy? You take in the city of lights, sounds and sights. River Tour by Eiffel Tower This episode is a Cider Chat Live recording - I had limited time, so this…
Cider Touring 2018 Netherlands | CCLive Mini clips of travels and tips while in Amsterdam in September. Anne Frank's house A visit to Apples en Peren in Amsterdam Then on to the Vondelpark to visit the Medlar tree Medlar…
Andy Sietsema comes from a long line of apple growers in the Grand Rapids area of Michigan. He is a fourth generation farmer and now a professional cidermaker at Sietsema Cider. Since launching the cidermaking operation…
New England is comprised of 6 states, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut and is home to some of the United States' oldest commercial cideries. In what is known as western Massachusett…
There is Perry being made in Georgian Bay, Ontario! Windswept Orchard Cider is 2 years old (founded in 2016) and is the creation of Mark Skinner, wife Courtney and their two kids. This couples background is culinary cook…
Ironbark Ciderworks in Claremont, California opened its Tasting Room doors to the public in November of 2017. The large inviting Tasting Room has conical stainless steel tanks to one side and room for musicians to anothe…
Val Steinmann and Brent Klassen moved from the city to the 42 acre farm that is now called Heartwood Farm and Cidery in 2004. In the past 14 years, they created pasture and now have a herd of 20 cows each summer. They ha…
Niagara College has two locations in Ontario, Canada. This chat features the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus which has a fully licensed winery on site (which is what is needed to make cider in Canada). It is here that past st…
