Meet Mariette and Aurelie From Guinguette
Earthy and Healthy Farm to Table Caterer
In South California, Mariette and Aurélie are magicians in the kitchen. Or mother nature’s witches, depending on the meaning you give to the words. The kind of new women we believe in to change the world. As a tribute to early 20th Century open-air cafes where the Parisian artists used to gather, they reinvent the festive act of dégustation through art-oriented, locally-sourced food preparation. Or rather how to share genuine food - organic and seasonal products locally sourced from farm-to-table - with a twist, adding a very french taste of "terroir" with a sense of community to their earthy menus. Without mentioning the artisan settings and enchanting sceneries. A taste of of magic in each celebration.
What are the three words you would use to define the journey that has brought you to this point in your life, your career, your development?
M: Research, gastronomy, blessings
A: Nutrition, gastronomy, travel experience
Do you want to tell us a bit more about this journey?
We both arrived at the same time in Southern California, about three years ago.
We didn’t know each other back in Europe even though we grew up and lived not further than an hour from each other (Aurelie is from Belgium and Mariette is from the North of France). It’s actually in Laguna Beach, only a year ago, that we finally met.
M: I was managing a couple French bakeries and the chef told me to look up Aurelie on Instagram as she was really into the same kind of cuisine as I was.
I started to follow her and the next day she showed up in the café I was running. We had a coffee together that same day and pretty much decided at that moment that we were going to do something great together.
A: Mariette used to work as a chef. She studied culinary art in Paris. On my side, I’ve been in the healthy food business for over fifteen years.
“Fusioning” our skills was obvious, so we created GUINGUETTE, a new kind of caterer.
We go meet with farmers, butchers, honey-makers from all around us. We get to know them and understand their products so that we can cook them the best way… and promote the work of passion and technique that lives behind each ingredient. We source organic, local and seasonal ingredients.
We aren’t vegan or vegetarian but the heart of our work is crafted by vegetables.
What are the 3-5 food ingredients that you couldn’t cook / live without?
Vegetables- honey- tamari- ginger- fresh herbs.
Is there a project that you’re working on that you’re excited about and could share with us?
Since we have started, we’ve been organizing farm-to-table dinners in local coffee shops, backyards, farms, on a beach… We would really love to keep developing that. These are the best experiences for us to try new recipes, to meet more and more people from our community.
What is the best meal someone made for you?
A: In Porto, a fisherman / chef caught sardines for my husband and I. He grilled them on a BBQ. It was topped with parsley, olive oil and chorizo. The taste was so simple and so real.
M: In the North of France at the best restaurant (in my opinion) « La Grenouillère ». It’s a two Michelin-starred restaurant. The Chef is a genius and I can’t talk about one dish as it would be underrating the journey that each guest gets to experience there. At this level, this is art.
What is the importance of ritual in your life? What are a few of your daily or weekly rituals?
A: I practice Ashtanga Yoga every morning, which is very important for me to feel connected. As another ritual, I always take the time to make myself a lunch based with only vegetables. I usually throw a bunch of raw vegetables together that I’ll cut different ways to play with the texture. Then I’ll make a raw sauce — either tamari based or cashew cream or miso… I always top my salads with very nice oils as it is the best way to get all the nutrients from them. At least 4 times a week I also go to the Ecology Center, a farm right by my house where I get vegetables and fruits. It is very important for me to see what I buy and I love imagining what I’ll be able to do with them.
M: I wash my face every morning and night with a konjac sponge.
Then I usually go in the kitchen to grind coffee beans. My favorite remains “Stumptown coffee”. This drink is sacred for me and I take a while to have nice filtered water, the right amount of coffee, and the perfect temperature.
I should say that I have one square of dark chocolate once a day. My mum sends me chocolate from France so I never run out!
We see sustainability as an ever-evolving process, a continuous striving toward a better way of living and being. How are you trying to make your way toward being more sustainable?
We try to be as zero waste as possible. From our groceries to our kitchen, we re-use, recycle, choose local, and consume a very little amount of meat and fish.
Also, we work very closely with the brand BeHome from San Francisco that provides us with handmade stoneware. We only cater in those. No plastic or paper during our events! It also adds an amazing touch!
Nutu — from the French nous tous, meaning “all of us” — believes strongly in the interconnectedness of all beings. In what ways do you connect to your community, or to the world at large? How do you give back?
We work closely with the ecology center. We usually give cooking classes during the weekends to customers and their kids. We talk about seasons, balance, and diversity in their plates.
Aurelie is also very invested in her Yoga community, Dharma Yoga House in Dana Point. She’s hosted farm to table dinners there.
What new (or old) ingredients are you excited about right now?
Miso- hemp seeds- matcha- fresh juiced turmeric.
How important is it to you to know where your ingredients come from and how they’re grown?
We are both crazy about the process of food. From how it is grown to how you digest it. It is so important to understand this process as it is truly the heart of good living. We are so lucky to live somewhere where the climate offers so much diversity. When you arrive in a new country, you are curious about everything surrounding you. Then you narrow your curiosity on what you are passionate about. For us, it is food and we are so thankful to be surprised everyday by what we can get here. Mariette is the biggest fan on earth of dates. She would have never thought she could just grab dates off the trees.
What makes moringa interesting to you? Can you tell us more about the recipe you’d like to make / you’ve made with Nutu’s moringa?
We are really interested in the nutritional aspects of Moringa as we’ve never used it before. We’ve now read about it. We believe that if your lifestyle is healthy, you’ll feel the benefits of a super food right away. We would love to try Moringa in raw sauces. We love to soak nuts and blend them with either horseradish, tahini or liquid aminos to go with our dishes, so why not one with moringa!
What are your top three places to get healthy, simple food (anywhere in the world)?
The oysters from the island of Noirmoutier; Mariette used to spend her vacations there since she was a little girl.
The Farms from the countryside in Belgium where Aurélie used to live. She would get her fresh milk straight from the cows.
The Ecology center in San Juan Capistrano (Orange county) where we both go for our groceries, join for the talks, speeches, workshops and farm to table dinners.
Can you share with us what resources you turn to for healthy and happy living?
M: I definitely feel healthier since I moved to California. There is such a big culture of working out. I now run at least 4-5 times a week. I have a running team and we take marathons as an excuse to go explore new cities and nature’s wonders. I also discovered reformer Pilates a year ago and it really changed my body. I feel stronger and working out doesn’t hurt anymore.
As far as diet, I think it is all about testing your body. We both recently went on a 21 day vegan cleanse with meditation by Deepak Chopra. It was right before a marathon. It was going to be the first time I would run such a long distance without either eating animal protein or coffee or pasta carbo-load. The day of the race, I actually did a very good time, without feeling any pain, any fatigue. It was pure thrill and excitement. It is very new for me but I have never felt so healthy in my life so I’m really considering changing my entire diet.
A: I find my energy and my health balance when I am out in nature. We live five minutes from canyons and one minute only from the ocean. I guess when you used to live in a place with a very different climate, you enjoy it even more. My kids love to be out too and go on adventures on all the creeks of Laguna Beach, so we are always outside. I’ve also been practicing ashtanga yoga since I moved here. The power of the community is huge. I go to the Dharma yoga house in Dana Point. I also organize yoga retreats with Laura, the owner. We were in Morocco in September and are going to the Guadalupe valley in April. I need to learn and explore to feel good.
Food is also a big part of a healthy lifestyle — at least for me. My husband has Belgian bistros. We love to go there and enjoy a meat stew just as much as we do eating vegan at home. Diversity is very important for a healthy balance and so is the knowledge of where your products come from.
Noun. GUINGUETTE fem. Guinguette were popular drinking outdoor bistros that once existed in the suburbs of Paris, where artists would eat, drink and dance.
Where? Guinguette Farm Catering & Co.: sourcing Local Products from SoCal, and Magnifying its Cuisine with French Chic
How much? from $25 per guest the Signature Buffet
By Sandrine Joseph, correspondent in London
(Journalist & vibes spotter: Quintessential London/NY/Brooklyn
Also a writer and photographer, Mother Nature lover. Obsessed with trees, sand-jo.com