Photograph by Katherine Bish
If you were going to research Marc Felix (prounced FAY-lix), you might just want block out some time. The French-born “Mad Chef” has traveled the world spreading infectious enthusiasm, from multiple Ritz Carlton’s to kid’s cooking shows to his own restaurant in New Mexico, the aptly-named La Folie. In 2002, this whirling dervish of restaurant dynamos was recruited by the local Adam’s Mark and then by the short-lived Red Moon. SLM throttled him down long enough to inquire about his latest venture set to open in July, Bistro 1130, where the goal is to create what he calls an “extravagancy of pleasure,” which to us sounds absolutely… mad.
You’ve owned restaurants and opened 3 Ritz Carlton’s. How does a guy from Aix-les-Bains end up in St. Louis? Don’t tell me it’s a woman…
It’s always a woman! No, my wife’s from Chicago so when I got an offer from the Adam’s Mark here, from a friend who I worked with at the Plaza Hotel in New York, we moved here as well. And I still see St. Louis as another beginning…I just keep finding interesting things to do here.
From there you went to the critically acclaimed but short lived Red Moon. Why did that die?
In 2004, I was on my way to Chicago, actually, but Red Moon intercepted me. I told them they could have me for six months, I stayed eight, and two months later they closed the doors. To this day, I still do not know what happened there. We had fun with the food. It was a destination. It was everything we wanted. It should not have failed.
Where were you between Red Moon and Bistro 1130. You’ve been around, but under the radar.
Consulting, I worked at Whole Foods, catering private events, and working on my book called The Mad Chef: Unleashed and Dangerous. Your food photographer, Katherine Bish, shot all the items for that book, which we hope to have published by the Spring of 2011. I’ve been working on it for 6 years…I need to stop and just publish it.
I may regret asking this, but what makes you mad?
At La Folie, I became the mad chef. I was 28, wild, eccentric, and extravagant. In my restaurants, you could only expect the unexpected, a “wow, look at that!” factor that never stopped. So it will be at Bistro 1130. When it’s coup de feu [literally “gunshot”], when it’s busy and every burner on the stove is on, it’s New-York-pace-intense and crazy. I’m still mad at age 43. I get that way when I’m around fire.
When a kitchen gets too crazy, how do you cool off? I used to go in the walk-in freezer and scream.
I don’t have one so that will not work! My wife does it through yoga but I get confused when she says “ahhooommm, ” I think she’s saying “let’s go hommmme.”
Can you control la folie, the madness?
The trick is to remain focused. Customers love it when you hit home runs and 3-pointers, but when you miss—and we all do—they do not forget it.
That will make you crazy.
Red Moon was a fusion restaurant. How will Bistro 1130 be different?
This will be an authentic bistro, true to that name and to who we are. It will focus on what you see in the South of France—our GM is from there--so we plan to have a lot of fun with seafood. We will supplement that with what the local farmers will bring to us…so we plan to be famous for both tuna tartar and steak tartar.
St. Louis needs more fish and seafood-focused restaurants.
Seafood travels across the country sometimes faster than us--it is here the next day from Hawaii--so yes, there should be more of that here.
Will we see anything from Red Moon at 1130?
For many years, I was known for my French/Thai and French/Vietnamese dishes—you have to be known for something, right?-- so yes, you will see items with lemongrass, some ginger. I will prepare any of those dishes, like the whole Red Snapper, the Blue Crab Bisque, lamb osso bucco--with some notice. A simple phone call will take care of all that. Or we’ll reserve a favorite item when you make a reservation.
Is it true you were taking reservations months before opening?
Mikki is well known in the spa industry and I have customers and followers as well, so the answer is yes. We hope to be open by Bastille Day, July 14, the day of the French revolution.
Your resume is incredibly deep and varied. What’s been your favorite part of the journey?
A few years ago, I did a documentary called Food and Art, it was an artistic collaboration, where I traveled to 6 different cities, creating edible works of art. I understand there will be a book on that plus a series of videos.
And two years ago, Anheuser Busch hired me for a project called “Cooking with Beer,” where I travelled all over the country preparing recipes using their specialty beers. It was fun because brewers use many of the spices—cumin seed, coriander, citrus—that cooks use. It was tremendous--first class service, chauffeurs—A-B took care of me very well.
What was your favorite item that you prepared?
I developed a dessert with beer that actually looked like a beer…it was beer jello, with a fruit compote then a sabayon of beer on top. I’d hear, “It’s beer.” “No, it’s a dessert.” Then, “Whatever it is, it’s good.”
Will we see any things like this at your restaurant?
Part of the menu will be playful. I have to play.
Which reminds me--you’ve even done cooking classes with kids…
For one class, we dipped balloons in chocolate, cooled them, popped the balloons, creating a chocolate bowl, and made “clouds” with banana mousse to put into them. Kids work better with things they are familiar with.
Do you have kids?
I have a 12 and a 9 year old…they eat everything and they cook for themselves already. I taught them early on.
And they love sweets. Desserts and pastries are important to the French, yes?
Very important. It’s last impression. It is rare to have the chef and pastry chef be one in the same, but here I am both.
Bread is an important component at a bistro. What are your plans there?
The kitchen is small, so we will subcontract the bread initially. A bread that is appropriate to a particular course will be passed. But I suspect that Eric, whose father is a baker, may get hands-on with baking bread.
Give us taste of what’s on 1130’s menu.
Sea scallops with a fennel-saffron compote…you will see a lot of seeds and spice and fresh herbs and citrus, and not as much heavy cream and butter. And it is a bistro, so we will strike a balance between providing “a generous portion” and “overdoing it.”
So we will not see “small plates”…
Small plates, yes. As appetizers...
So how does a Frenchman define a bistro?
It’s a cross between a rustic, free-style cafe and a more formal restaurant, fast-paced with good-looking food that you can recognize. You always will understand what is being served. Brasseries are bigger, but here, with 50 seats, we can be more playful—and cheeky--with the food.
Cheeky?
Cute and fun, but bordering on elegance. Sure we will have the escargots, the foie gras, bouillabaisse and cheeses—we are French!-- but lighter things, too, with aromatics like lavender, thyme, and rosemary. The lamb shank will have lemon and orange zest, and tomato and cumin.
So no heavy sauces.
Sauces are very, very important, but nothing with be overburdened with cream. That’s why some Frenchmen take a 2 hour lunch…to allow for the nap.
Physically, how does a true bistro kitchen lay out?
The menu is printed daily, so there’s no need for a big freezer or even a walk in cooler. Items will be delivered daily or come from the market that day.
You mentioned that your GM is from the South of France?
Eric Miranne is from Marseilles, but I met him and his wife [Mikki Jones-Miranne] at Annie Gunn’s. I heard people speaking French a few tables over, introduced myself, and it became a long evening. Mikki, who is originally from Pittsburgh, is the owner and responsible for the design, with Eric on the floor and me in back. We will be the only bistro in town that has Frenchmen front and back. Authentic, no?
Has Eric been in the business?
He’s worked for top named chefs in the front of the house. He knows wine—ours will be American and French, no need to be all over the place –and he knows service. Service needs to be as good as the food.
Couldn’t agree more.
Fortunately, it is easier to train a knowledgeable staff when you only have 50 seats. And my staff has worked with me before...the team came together quickly. So I see great food, great service, 50 seats…and one owner. That’s why I chose to join forces here.
If 1130 is successful, then what?
Our ultimate goal is to open 4 bistros in St. Louis, each one featuring foods from the 4 compass points in France. Paul Bocuse did it in Lyon, we believe it is possible here.
