Cuisine Du Moi : The Heart Of My Passion

For him, overseeing via video link his sous chefs placing slices of ochre truffle over a freshly muddled carpaccio of Cape Barren goose egg is a life-and-death struggle. Honorary Governor of the Stationary Food Movement, Consultant Chef de Chef to the United Nations, patron of the Canardeux Foundation for Children Without Seafood, and committed Awareness Band Wearer, Canardeux divides his precious time between London, Sydney and New York, his wife and girlfriends and horses, his classic car collection, and children.

When not starring in his ground-breaking television programs Gav and the Gastronauts and Shit Hot Cooking with Gav, Yeah!, Canardeux enjoys shooting and being interviewed. More than a cookbook, Cuisine du Moi is a philosophy, a way of life, and already a classic.

Ben Canaider is an award-winning Australian wine writer and author of numerous books on both drinking and eating. Working on this project was the culmination of a lifelong dream; I look forward to one day meeting Gavin personally.'

Booktopia asked Canardéaux and Canaider a few questions about the book and how they find working in the food and drink industry. At times it was difficult to tell who was responding…

Questions for Gavin:

1. Why did you write the book? Who did you have in mind whilst you were writing? Many are called to write cookbooks; few are chosen. I HAD to write this book, and I wrote it for myself, of course.

2. What are some of the things you love most about what you do? The bullying and the character-assassinations of apprentices.

3. What are some of your pet peeves on the job? Airport connections.

4. What meal do you prepare for yourself most often when eating alone? I never eat alone; it is the start of a slippery slope.

5. Do you have a 'white whale' - ie a meal/snack/drink that you have always wanted to try but never have? Yes, Waygu beef. I have an intolerance to it, owing to the fact it contains a naturally occurring compound that sets off my allergic system, to wit: IT IS F---ING AWFUL

Questions for Ben:

1. Why did you write the book? Who did you have in mind whilst you were writing? The invoice.

2. Do you think the food and drink industry as 'Gavin'ish now as it has been in the past? More so. More and more chefs are taking on PR agents. Gavin is the tip of the iceberg. It will only become harder to make this shit up. A lot of these no-name chefs now do media for FREE, so desperate are they to brand themselves.

3. What is next for Ben Canaider? What is your next challenge? I'm going home this afternoon to prepare a roast chicken. As for the second question, I don't have challenges, I have work.

4. What would be your ideal Sunday afternoon lunch? TV. Landline on ABC1, from midday, with Kerry Lonegan's Commodities Report. And afterwards, at 1pm, I'd take luncheon. Ideally something I've cooked myself, sitting down, with wine. After lunch I then think about dinner, and I feel wonderfully self-improved having watched Landline.