From the Loire Valley to Australia: French Chef & TV Icon Gabriel Gaté — Part 1

French chef, celebrated cookbook author, and Australian television icon Gabriel Gaté joins Andrew on Fabulously Delicious in this first of a two-part conversation — tracing his remarkable journey from a childhood in the Loire Valley, the Garden of France, to apprenticing at a Michelin-starred restaurant, working in the kitchens of London's Berkeley Hotel, and eventually becoming one of the most beloved French food personalities in Australia.Growing up in the Loire Valley, Gabriel shares vivid memories of a childhood shaped by homegrown vegetables, a family vineyard, and a grandmother who had cooked for some of France's finest households — with her sister working for the Rothschild family in Paris. He talks about what it meant to apprentice in a serious French kitchen in the 1970s — sixteen-hour days, whole pheasants with the feathers still on, making puff pastry and champagne sorbet from scratch, and being locked in the attic at weekends so you'd be fresh for service.Gabriel also opens up about working in Paris at the three-Michelin-star restaurant of Alain Senderens — a visionary chef who pioneered the science of food and wine pairing — and what it was like to cook at the Berkeley Hotel in London, where the Queen was a regular guest and Perry Como and Ray Charles would come in after their shows for caviar and smoked salmon.Part one of this conversation is a love letter to classic French cooking, the discipline of the brigade kitchen, and the food culture of the Loire Valley that shaped one of Australia's most cherished culinary voices. Tune in next week for part two, where Gabriel discusses his television career, his passion for French seafood, and the shows that made him a household name in Australia.Send us Fan MailSupport the showMy book Paris: A Fabulous Food Guide to the World’s Most Delicious City is your ultimate companion. This is a new 2026 update for the book and you’ll find hand-picked recommendations for the best boulangeries, patisseries, wine bars, cafés, and restaurants that truly capture the flavor of Paris. You can order it online at andrewpriorfabulously.com For those who want to take things further, why not come cook with me here in Montmorillon, in the heart of France’s Vienne region? Combine hands-on French cooking classes with exploring charming markets, tasting regional specialties, and soaking up the slow, beautiful pace of French countryside life. Find all the details at andrewpriorfabulously.comYou can help keep the show thriving by becoming a paid subscriber on substack where you'll also get fabulous extra content. Every contribution makes a huge difference. Join here at Substack , Merci beaucoup!Newsletter Youtube Instagram Facebook Website