Seasons 1 and 2 of Papilles "Taste buds" are now streaming on TV5MONDEplus. Embark on a mouth-watering journey through France’s regions, discover local specialties and artisans, and join award-winning chefs as they prepare iconic regional dishes.

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Personally, what were the highlights of this second season of Papilles?

Emmanuelle Delteil: I recently got my motorcycle license, so I was able to ride with several chefs, including Thierry Marx in Nice, Stéphane Bonnat in the Alps, and Frank Putelat in Carcassonne – an episode you’ll discover soon in season 3!

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In each episode, you meet a culinary professional who introduces you to their friends and colleagues and showcases their region. Do the chefs enjoy playing hooky with you?

Papilles is growing in popularity, and the chefs seem delighted. They have a lot of fun and cherish these moments. A camaraderie develops between us. We talk, laugh, and share a good time. To pass the baton, I also ask each chef to recommend me to one of his or her colleagues. I love this handover: It’s proof of the trust they place in me. The regions are also very happy.

You’ll be delivering a third season of Papilles to TV5MONDE at the end of the year and are currently preparing a fourth. How has the show influenced you?

I gain experience with each shoot. I’m not particularly fond of game meat, but I tried a venison carpaccio in Chamonix: It was so good I could have asked for more! I also push my limits. At the top of the Aiguille du Midi cable car, almost 13,000 feet above sea level with Emmanuel Renaut, the crew and I were a bit apprehensive... I had trouble breathing due to the altitude, but the view was incredible. The same thing happened with Fabien Ferré in Le Castellet in the Var département, where I arrived on a small plane facing the strong Mistral wind... I was very nervous! I eventually let myself be absorbed by the scenery – the sea, the Paul Ricard racetrack, the cliffs, the mountains – and I forgot my fear. I’m ready to go back up again!

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Do you buy or cook food differently?

I don’t think I eat differently, but my experiences enrich me. I keep discovering and rediscovering. While shooting season 3, I had a meal with Emmanuel Renaut at his restaurant, Le Prieuré, in Megève, and I was ready for fondue. However, he ordered a vegetable broth with a Savoyard croûte [a slice of artisan bread soaked in white wine, topped with cheese and grilled]. A simple dish just the way I like it. I love soups, so I immediately changed my order: “That’s what I want!” Many chefs enjoy this home-cooked style. I often ask them what they would like to eat if I invited them to dinner at my place, and I’m always surprised when they ask for a roast chicken!

Do you ever recreate chefs’ recipes at home?

I sometimes cook using their recipes, tips, and what I’ve learned alongside them. In the Manche département, for example, François Plombin prepared this colorful appetizer for me, which I now make every time I have friends over: sliced oranges with garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s so simple, yet absolutely delicious.

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What is your relationship with gastronomy? Have you always had a passion for cooking?

Not at all! My mother cooked very well and I learned a lot from her, but I never imagined specializing in this field. I was neither a foodie nor a gourmet growing up, and I was allergic to alcohol for a long time. As a journalism intern at Radio France, I did my first report in the Landes region and interviewed Michel Guérard [one of the founders of nouvelle cuisine and the pioneer of cuisine minceur] at his restaurant. I discovered a fascinating and passionate man, almost paternal. He invited me into his kitchen, handed me an apron, and shared stories about his profession. After that experience, I traveled around the Landes for a cooking segment: small truck stop restaurants, garbure stew, French fries cooked in goose fat, braised foie gras... I saw Michel Guérard again just before the pandemic. We had lunch together, and he agreed to shoot an episode of Papilles, but he passed away in August... He was one of the last giants of French gastronomy.

What do you admire so much about these chefs?

I love their determination and passion. They are present, don’t count their hours, and give a lot of themselves to share their knowledge. In the future, I would like to include a segment on cooking schools in each episode of Papilles – like Thierry Marx’s Cuisine Mode d’Emploi(s), which helps people getting back on their feet after a long bout of unemployment. Many chefs are also very humble and down-to-earth. You should see Fabien Ferré at 6 a.m. at the Sanary-sur-Mer market in the South of France, picking up fish with both hands, examining them, caressing them, and paying them homage! And just before that, we had coffee and a croissant at the local café. It’s a beautiful memory.

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You were eagerly anticipating the episode featuring Thierry Marx, the celebrity chef who operates the one-star restaurant Onor near the Arc de Triomphe and Madame Brasserie on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. Do you have any other dream guests? 

I want to do an episode on Pierre Gagnaire! Dimitri Droisneau, the chef at La Villa Madie in Cassis, also inspires me a lot. Last but not least, I dream of filming in New York with Alain Ducasse. Maybe in 2025?

Each episode ends with a meal à la bonne franquette, casually shared with your guests and their friends. How would you explain this typically French expression to our American viewers?

It’s simple cooking, without a white tablecloth or ceremony, without fuss. To keep that spirit, I’m increasingly trying to organize picnics with my guests – like I did with Stéphane Carbone on the cliffs of Arromanches, overlooking the D-Day beaches. We’re among friends, without pretense. The chefs are relaxed and natural. In Marseille, for instance, Gérald Passedat took me to eat pizza at Chez Etienne, a local institution in the Panier neighborhood. Everyone is friendly and casual. The waitress greeted our three-star chef as if they’d known each other forever: “So, honey, what can I get you today?” I had one of the best pizzas there!

The first and second seasons of Papilles are currently streaming on TV5MONDEplus! Watch now.