Many of our travelers have enjoyed private French cooking classes with Brigitte Dumant at her beautiful home in Normandy. Brigitte kindly agreed to answer some questions for us to help our readers get to know her a little better!
In this interview, she tells us more about her classes, and shares some of her best tips for cooking and sourcing the freshest ingredients!
You may also like to browse our sample Gourmet Food Tours to get more inspiration for your next trip to France!
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Marcia, Elliot, Evelyn & Steve
How did you learn to cook?
I learned from my mother, and my family owns six restaurants in Paris! I always loved cooking and having friends home for dinner - isn't it a good combination??
What's special about Norman cuisine?
In Normandy, you can find the best creamy ingredients: cream, cheese, the best apples, and the best Calvados (apple brandy) to flambé what you are cooking!!
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Brigitte Dumant
Where do you source your ingredients?
My husband is busy with the vegetable garden, which includes artichokes, zucchinis, eggplants, squash, tomatoes, and different herbs.
I go to a special farm to buy chicken and I buy local fish (such as scallops, sole, shrimps and crab) from fishermen’s wives at Trouville. They sell the fish their husbands have caught during the day or night directly from the boat, and of course, the fish is very fresh!
My favorite local markets are at Pont-l'Évêque or Deauville, where many local producers sell their products.
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Brigitte Dumant
Can you share your favorite cooking tip?
I love to teach travelers how to make sauces, to make dishes extra special. When I prepare a sauce, I always begin slowly and carefully. The secret is to cook it gently and slowly for a long time and not to do it too fast. No hurry!
What are your favorite cooking ingredients?
I love to use different herbs, such as fresh oregano, chives, tarragon, thyme, and rosemary, to enhance the flavor.
Do you have a favorite restaurant in Normandy?
I go to restaurants to have fun with friends or family - this is the most important thing for me - so any restaurant with a special and good atmosphere! We usually go to Les Vapeurs in Trouville, which is a brasserie and an institution.
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Brigitte Dumant
We are very grateful to Brigitte for taking the time to answer our questions!
For us at France Just For You, it's important to us that our travelers have the chance to immerse themselves in French culture, with lots of opportunities to interact with local French people, like Brigitte.
We can arrange private tours with expert local guides; specialist activities like truffle-hunting; wine-tastings; and private cooking classes with local culinary experts, all of whom speak good English and will make you feel welcome in France.
If you would like to book one of our self drive tours in Normandy and include a cooking class with Brigitte, let us know - we would love to hear from you!
