Epicure
T
he latest and greatest food
movements seem to have
more twists and turns than
a Shonda Rhimes series. The
“New Nordic Cuisine” began
in 2004, when Noma’s Danish chefs,
René Redzepi and Claus Meyer, met
with leading food professionals from
other Nordic countries to promote
a cuisine that would emphasis
“purity, simplicity, freshness and
seasonality.”
Fast forward to Pädaste Manor,
an exquisite 16th-century boutique
hotel (the only five-star hotel
outside Tallinn), located on the
southern tip of Muhu Island, just
off the coast of western Estonia.
This beautifully renovated manor
house, once the residence of a 16th
century Danish king, has been turned
into a 24-room, small luxury resort
and spa complex, surrounded
by acres of tranquil forests
and waterways.
But the main draw is their wildly
talented Chef de Cuisine, Yves Le
Lay, a leader in a spin off of “New
Nordic Cuisine” called “New Nordic
Islands’ Cuisine.”
Le Lay creates his menus with
respect to the local heritage,
seasons and terroir, and then
slips in his own touch of whimsy.
His ever changing roster of fresh
Pädaste Manor
Kitchen
There is never a dull moment in the
3-4 hour, nine-course table d’Hôte
dinner in Restaurant Alexander,
Pädaste Manor’s grand (yet without
an ounce of stuffiness) dining room.
Lightweights can show restraint by
selecting a 7, 5, or 3-course
degustation.
ingredients might include roe deer,
moose, juniper, morels, berries,
Muhu honey and artisanal cheeses
provided by the island’s farmers,
hunters and fishermen, as well as
wild greens and herbs grown on the
manor. Chef Yves then presents his
flavorful finds by showcasing their
natural beauty with creative yet
simple adornments.
You will be delighted, amazed and
perhaps even struck speechless by
the variety of indigenous
ingredients, flavors, textures,
and artistic presentations served
to you in this fairy tale manor
house setting.
Even its tableware is unique, since
some of the more amusing pieces
were designed by students from the
Estonian Academy of Art.
Interview with Chef
Yves Le Lay
Who or What inspired you to
become a chef?
I believe my upbringing by parents
who were dedicated foodies. Then
in the end of my teens, I got into
the restaurant business, and got
hooked instantly by this high paced,
sensory industry, and haven’t looked
back since!
Do you consider yourself part of
the New Nordic Cuisine movement?
Yes and no. “Nordic Islands’ Cuisine,”
which is our framework for our
kitchen philosophy, shared
similarities to the New Nordic
Cuisine, as we source our produce in
near proximity. For us, this proximity
is the islands in the Baltic Sea. But
I wouldn’t define our cuisine as New
Nordic. The best description I have
heard so far on my cuisine would be:
Contemporary Nordic, with French
influences.
Pädaste Manor
private grounds
49
First thing you cooked?
I have from an early age taken part
in cooking at home, so it’s hard for
me to remember. My favorite dish
growing up, though, was grilled lamb
skewers with cous-cous, chickpeas
and harissa sauce.