Atma cooks with Christ Bikouedi

Hello Christ, can you introduce yourself in a few words?

my name is Christ, I'm 30 years old. Passionate about cooking of course. I have been a chef for a few years in Paris. I try to share my cooking through different projects and experiences, as well as on my social networks. I fully blossom in my job, and try to learn every day.

You are very inspired by the culinary heritage and your own history. Can you tell us about what inspires your cooking today?

First of all my origins, I was born and raised in Congo. I am deeply marked by an "exotic" cuisine - even if this word bothers me a little. I prefer to talk about the African terroir. Then, through my travels, particularly in Lebanon. It's a culture that influences me on a daily basis, both in my cooking and in my state of mind. Finally, having studied Plastic Arts, I try to give a very personal and artistic vision to my cooking. Visual and sensory. The fact of having worked in the media has also helped me to discover my cuisine differently, on the networks in particular, in a more audiovisual way.

Christ Bikouedi cuisine avec le couteau de chef Atma

Cuisine ancienne avec billet et légumes d'automne

Are there any products that you particularly love to work with?

Definitely spices, and peppers. I like my cuisine to be assertive, even if it means being divisive. It is by taking risks that one develops one's personality. I work my own blends of spices and peppers, discovered through my travels.

You made the choice to be independent and you travel a lot in France and even in other countries. What does this freedom offer you today?

This freedom offers me a certain adaptation. Working in different atmospheres, with different clienteles, and discovering new terroirs, brings a certain personal and professional enrichment. It gives me the opportunity to put myself in danger and challenge myself constantly. I love the life of a nomadic cook.

Can you tell us about the importance of the choice of utensils in your kitchen?

Our utensils are part of our identity. We acquire them over time, we choose them carefully, and we become attached to them. Sometimes they are no longer very functional but they are ours. They carry memories and magical moments. With the exception of my knives, which I can drop off at a sharpener, I never part with my utensils. I take them everywhere.

Le chef Christ Bikouedi avec le couteau de chef

Assiette dressée sardines et condiments de légumes avec lait robot

Do you have any favorite addresses to share with us?

I work a lot with Terre Exotique , a grocery store specializing in pepper and spices with a real eco-responsible policy. Their products can be found at the Grande Epicerie and other outlets in Paris. For restaurants, I am a fan of Levantine cuisine, at Shabour or Tékés, we eat particularly well there. I also have a weakness for Plan D sandwiches, the recipes were created by my chef friend Joris Lebigot . But in addition to restaurants, I am a lover of spirits and cocktails. I don't know of better addresses in Paris than CopperBay or theSyndicat Cocktail Club.

Do you have a secret cooking tip to share with our community?

When it comes to spices or flavor combinations, you always have to do more than not enough!

Where will we be able to taste your recipes in the next few weeks?

In the coming weeks, in Cameroon, for a residency that brings together emerging chefs from the Afro scene such as Glory Kabe , Elis Bond or Freddy's Kitchen . Then in the next few weeks, I am moving to Morocco, to Marrakech for the project of my life! You will know more by following my news on the networks...