A CONVERSATION WITH THE PARISIAN CHEF DIADIÉ DIOMBANA
Parisian chef Diadié
aka freddyskitchen expresses himself about personal mindset and love for cooking.
It’s his birthday and for this special day, he concocted a special playlist for us.
By Clarisse Prévost
Bring us back to the genesis of your love with the art of cooking…
I think that my love for the art of cooking was born by seeing my mom and grandma always in the kitchen. As a kid, I was already used to cook for my little sisters, my friends or myself. The moment I started working in my first restaurant – in apprenticeship – I naturally felt that to be a cook or a chef was my dedication.
How your creative process usually goes ?
I cook for my relatives, for events or services.
Each time, I put myself at the height of the person who will eat what I will prepare. I also think about the season, the locality of the product and then I imagine what would fit together.
And I definitely can’t cook without music. I just let myself be guided by music. As long as there’s energy… I’m just looking for energy.
“I indirectly work to make my people proud.”
How do you challenge yourself in your daily life ?
I think about my mother. To be honest, I indirectly work to make my people proud. Knowing I have abilities in this field also pushed me to always go further.
What is your conception of truth ?
To me, truth is being honest when we talk and trying to look for the truth itself. It’s almost a duty. I’m not sure we’ll ever find it, but looking for it is what matters. Though, everything is true and nothing is false.
What have you learned from experiencing unique 2020 ?
That we had to accept larger-than-ourselves situations and to adapt to it. For my part, I haven’t much suffered from the covid because it allowed me to take some rest.
What matters to you right now ?
I’d like people to love each other, grow up, understand each other and build altogether. Also to satisfy my mother and myself. I am not looking for success, but for the satisfaction of acknowledging that what I do is good. I actually think I’m starting to feel good about myself.
You made a cooking playlist for our community, how did you build it ?
I put tracks that rocked me throughout my childhood.
I created it by thinking of the best moments I experienced when I concocted my best meals.