Sylvestre and Jonathan Wahid, two famous names of French high gastronomy, are visiting Pakistan on the invitation of a private hotel, with the support of the French embassy here, to showcase their culinary skills. Talking to media persons at the residence of France on Sunday, the two brothers said that they were born in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the 1970s and this is the first time they return to Pakistan since their childhood.
They arrived in southern France at the age of nine and seven, joining their father who had installed in Nimes. Sylvestre Wahid is one of the most brilliant chefs in France today, identified as one of the rising stars in French gastronomy. He was awarded the prestigious 2 stars by the Michelin Guide in his new Parisian restaurant, Sylvestre.
Previously he had already earned two stars at Oustau de la Baumaniere and worked in prestigious restaurants such as Plaza Athenee in Paris, Le Strato in Courchevel or Cheval Blanc in Nimes, as well as in New York.
His younger brother, Jonathan Wahid, is grand pastry chef and after working for six years in the most famous luxury hotel of Paris, hotel Ritz, he was awarded as Champion of France for Desserts in 2005. Jonathan Wahid has since opened his own hotel restaurant in the south of France together with his wife, the French Chef Fanny Rey. Their "Auberge de la Reine Jeanne" is awarded with one star at the Michelin guide in 2017. Sylvestre Wahid said that he first worked alongside world renowned French chef Alain Ducasse at 59 Poincare and the when the chef moved to the Plaza Athenee, he took Sylvestre with him.
He said that his favourite ingredient is tomatoes and his favourite utensil is the microplane grater. He said that he loves to eat spaghetti with tomato sauce, parmesan and basil and the dish he loves to make is pasta Bolognese with lobster and spices.
Jonathan Wahid, aka Jawad Wahid, specialized very early on in pastry cuisine, starting to work in the south of France, in Nimes with J.C. Lavilloniere, when only 17 years old. He said that after working for six years in the most famous luxury hotel of Paris, hotel Ritz, he was awarded as Champion of France for desserts in 2005. He joins his brother as pastry chef at the renowned Oustau de la Baumaniere in the South of France and later in winters at the restaurant of Le Strato luxury hotel in the Alps, where they are again granted two stars by Michelin.
Jonathan Wahid opens his own hotel restaurant in Saint Remy de Provence together with his wife, the French Chef Fanny Rey. Their "Auberge de la Reine Jeanne" is awarded with one start at the Michelin Guide in 2017. His wife Fanny Rey is the only woman chef to receive such a distinction this year.