february
2018
71passion for making people happy are contagious. An
executive chef on yachts for nearly 20 years, Mercier
is well versed in diet trends from vegan and gluten-free
to raw and ketogenic. In 2015, he graduated from the
Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York as a
professional coach in improving health and happiness
through nutrition.
“People are eating much lighter than they were
10 years ago,” Mercier says. “Dietary preferences
have become more extreme in recent years, especially
among the UHNWI crowd. The latest craze is the
ketogenic diet: a high-fat, little-protein, low-carb diet
The Menu
Seared Scallop on
toaSt and lardoon
Quail breaSt with
Zucchini ribbonS,
Sweet roaSted
pepperS and caviar
Grilled pineapple
coconut crÈme
brûlée
WEAPON OF CHOICE:
CHILI FLAKES
‘i use them all the time. you need that bite in the food. chili
flakes, cayenne or crushed red pepper—in the right proportion,
they make everything taste amazing. a great pick-me-up for
soups, sauces, even desserts.’‘I once worked on a client
who was suffering from
total paralysis in his arm.
After a 40-minute session,
he was able to pick up a
glass. That was amazing.’
—Chef Benoit Mercier, on his
part-time Reiki energy
healing practicePRO TIP: HOW TO PREPARE PERFECT SCRAMBLED EGGS
‘in cooking, less is more. crack the eggs and scramble them directly
in the pan, not before. be careful not to let the heat get so hot that
it separates the whites and yellows. also, scrambled eggs should be
moist, so be careful not to overcook them. they should be solid, but
with a moist sheen. for fluffier eggs, try a little sour cream.’