Influences: A trip to Morocco

First there are its people, who smile from the heart and carry within them all the warmth of their land. Here, the sun shines as brightly in the sky as it does in people's hearts, and the sense of hospitality is not just natural, it's innate. For two decades now, Joël Césari has been flying to Morocco at least once a year. There he has encountered a sincere welcome borne of a touching humanity. "I love the people and their way of being, they welcome you spontaneously, open their doors to you and offer you tea. We're always so pleased to see one other again, we share so much." This spirit of sharing, that goes straight to the heart of Joël Césari, is naturally reflected in his dishes, which are influenced by the spices of the sun. The Jura chef's pigeon dish is dusted with ras el-hanout, the Moroccan spice, before being slow roasted, then seared on the skin with spices. Crisp and fragrant, it is served on a bed of cauliflower, mint and preserved lemon semolina. Morocco in a mouthful. As for his shoulder of lamb, it is seasoned with curry, ras-el-hanout and paprika for a slow and intense simmer before being reconstituted into squares, seared and browned, and then served with kumquat, carrots and a sardine condiment. A real taste of elsewhere and above all, one you'll be coming back to for more. "In the morning, when the fishing boats return to the port of Essaouira with their holds brimming with sardines, it's an extraordinary sight - like being in Saint-Malo! This country is extremely inspiring, and I've discovered some fabulous products here, like argan oil, which I use in a mushroom crème to accompany a perfectly boiled egg." Joël Césari is no stranger to culinary discoveries and encounters. For the last four years, he has been meeting up with his Moroccan and French chef friends for the Agadir Food Festival, a great opportunity to share their culinary savoir-faire. Because like music, gastronomy has no language, or rather, it transcends them all.

Trekking in the desert and Atlas mountains, the permaculture gardens of Agadir, the ramparts of Essaouira, the argan oil cooperatives, the extraordinary wines, the bustling city of Marrakech and its restaurants, the captivating music and oases of green, the snail sellers and snake charmers... When Joël Césari talks about Morocco, he has sunshine in his voice and tears of emotion in his eyes.