Media Release
30 Nov 2009
THE JOY OF EATING ACCORDING TO THE “JOLLY FROG”
A copy of Frogs Legs and Kangaroo Tales is being forwarded to you.
We have lost the art and the joy of eating according to a pioneer of French
cuisine in Australia, Jean Daniel Ichallalene.
The elder statesman of the restaurant industry in Western Australia said that
food for many people had become less important than the energy it delivered.
This practice, he said, had led to a dulling of the senses.
“There is no sense of occasion, no sense of anticipation, no experience of
enjoyment and no last memory of the event,” he said.
“Instead of concentrating on the experience of eating, we are already thinking
ahead to our next meeting, our next report, our next planning session or the
taxi run to pick up the kids.
“This is my challenge to you – close your eyes as you guide the fork into your
mouth. What do you taste, what do you sense, what is the texture, what is the
feeling, what is the reaction in your body?
“Only when you slow down and begin to experience your food will you steal a
glimpse into the joy of eating.”
Jean Daniel Ichallalene arrived in Sydney from Paris in 1966 and was
immediately struck by two observations: it was really hot and the food scene
was really bad.
“On my first day off the plane in Sydney, I struggled to find anything more
exotic than a limp spaghetti bolognaise,” he recalled at the recent launch of
his book, “Frogs Legs and Kangaroo Tales”.
The event was held in son Pierre’s, popular Perth restaurant, Chez Pierre.
Former WA premier, Richard Court, whose family have enjoyed the
Frenchman’s legendary hospitality over several decades launched the book
with reflections on how his father had been a committed Ichallalene patron.
The book, by author Ray Sparvell, charts Ichallalene’s adventures and recipes
in food over his lifetime – from farm life in Burgundy to cosmopolitan Paris and
onward to the desolate cuisine scene of mid-1960s Australia.
Ichallalene’s mission has always been to introduce French food and to
encourage an appreciation and enjoyment of the joys of food to new
generations of Australians.
“For many Australians at the time, the plat du jour was a mixed grill for either
breakfast, lunch or dinner – or all three.”
Ichallalene later became a waiter at the French Tavern in the heart of the city.
He also worked in a Watson’s Bay restaurant that would become the site of
Doyles and the Summit, Australia’s first revolving restaurant. Ichallalene then
established restaurants in Cairns and Mt Isa before moving west.
The jovial Frenchman has established and run some of WA’s iconic
restaurants over the past 35 years including the revolving Hilite 33, Pierre’s
Garden Restaurant – a hotbed of WA Inc intrigue - and Manadurah’s Jolly
Frog. He has also held senior industry positions including committee member
and president of the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association of WA,
president of the Toque Blanche and a long-time judge of many prestigious
culinary awards.
The book also features Ichallalene’s favourite French recipes – from, yes,
frogs’ legs to coq au vin as well as insights into wines and cheeses from
Burgundy where he grew up.
“These recipes are like trusted companions to me whose acquaintance I
always look forward to renewing,” he said.
“Some people still think of French food as being too rich or too reliant on
sauces. The reality is that they are based on fresh ingredients and classic
recipes. They are enduring and entirely in keeping with the times,” he said.
Frogs Legs and Kangaroo Tales $29.95. Available in bookshops.
For Further Information
Ray Sparvell 0413 051 247. rsparvel@bigpond.net.au
NEWS 
