Meet Henrik Sebok
Executive chef
Ever in pursuit of new travels and experiences to broaden his culinary culture, Chef Henrik Sebok is a passionate man, who has continually redefined his cuisine. This talented Chef shares his time between his position as an Executive Chef and the cooking school he has created in Bucharest.
- Since 2003, you have been an Executive Chef at the Howard Johnson Grand Plaza Hotel in Bucharest. What is your professional background?
- I started my career 32 years ago, in France. During my training as a chef, I discovered the basics and the techniques of French cuisine. I completed my training working alongside renowned chefs in various European countries, before crossing the Atlantic in 1989 for new culinary adventures.
I learnt a lot working with great chefs in the US. Among others, I got to know Eric Ripert, at Le Bernardin Hotel, NYC, Wolfgang Puck in Los Angeles, etc. After two years, I decided to settle down in Canada, where I finished my training studying management at a hospitality administration school. I then went on to work in several hotels and restaurants. After setting up my own catering company in Ottawa, I returned to Europe in 2002 and settled in Bucharest, Romania. Since late 2003, I have held the position of Executive Chef at the Howard Johnson Grand Plaza Hotel. I also created Culinarium The Cooking School, which offers workshops for adults and teenagers. We have theme-based workshops focusing on Italian cuisine, sushi, tapas, Indian recipes, healthy food, preparing delicious macarons or tasty pies, etc. Our workshops are accessible for students of all levels. - How would you define your cooking?
- My cooking is both contemporary and eclectic. I work a lot on flavours and set absolutely no limits to creativity. This freedom is made possible by the technical knowledge I have gained over the course of my training. French cuisine provides excellent basics in that regard! Over the years, I’ve explored and followed various trends. I’ve taken a lot of interest in new techniques developed in the last decade.
- Tell us about your position at the Howard Johnson Grand Plaza Hotel.
- I work with a team of 36 people. I start early in the mornings, like most Executive Chefs. It begins with the breakfast service and ends with dinner. In-between services, I have time to experiment new recipes, to look for new flavour associations and to perfect my plating designs. But the first thing I do when I arrive at the hotel in the morning is inspect the kitchen. Among other things, I check the temperature of refrigerators and make sure products are properly labelled.
- What is your signature dish?
- Alaskan Black Cod with miso and caramelised lemongrass, pickled ginger and bok choy flavoured with sun-dried tomatoes, served with a morel risotto and cress. It is a very colourful dish, which associates different flavours and textures.
- Which ingredients do you like working with the most?
- As a general rule , I prefer fresh, local and seasonable products. I am convinced that you can cook the most unforgettable dishes with the simplest ingredients. But sometimes I also like to draw my inspiration from foreign products, as I am always looking for new exciting dishes to put on the menu.
- What are your favourite Elle & Vire Professionnel® products?
- I have used Elle & Vire Professionnel® products for years. Their quality and stability allow me to focus all my attention on the recipes, rather than worry about the texture or the consistency of the products. The Excellence Whipping Cream is an essential product for me, along with the Crème Cuisson Excellence 35.1% fat. Those are the two products I use the most. When I want my dishes to be lighter without compromising the creamy texture, I switch to the Crème Cuisson Avantage 15% fat. I use the Emmental de France Longe in salads and to make gratins. It has wonderful fruity aromas, and can even find its place on a cheese platter. As for desserts, I have used the Original American Cream Cheese for a long time now. Its texture makes it perfect for both savoury and sweet dishes. I also use the Crème Brûlée Bourbon Vanilla, which is available with or without the vanilla seeds. It is rich in flavour and has the added benefit of not requiring cooking.
- Have you had the opportunity to discover Elle & Vire Professionnel®’s new online space for chefs?
- As a chef myself, I think this type of tool is very helpful. It is a real support system to help chefs build their creativity. I often check the bank of recipes created by Elle & Vire Professionnel®’s culinary experts and I have even tried my hand at a number of them, either written or on video .
The technical video tutorials are also extremely useful as a visual aid to explain techniques to members of our team and to give them the possibility to better use the Elle & Vire Professionnel® products we work with every day.