Food - Pepsi Street Food 2024: Innovating Street Food, an Interview with Chef Xavier Pincemin

By Mulder, Paris, 10ème arrondissement, 23 may 2024

On the occasion of the Pepsi Street Food inauguration evening, we interviewed Xavier Pincemin.

Xavier Pincemin: What really inspired me the most was Pepsi. I started by seeing Pepsi, and then I thought, okay, this flavor, this spice, a bit of caramel, a bit of cinnamon. And then I thought, now what are we going to represent? I said to myself: the best places, the best cities that represent street food - Paris, New York - these are the cities that represent street food in the world.

Q: What inspired you to create the three exclusive menus for this event, and how did you choose the dishes to represent Paris, New York and Seoul ?

Xavier Pincemin: I said to myself: okay, New York, what's on it? Hot dog. Bam, I took a hot dog bun, I'm going to have chuck, I've candied it with Pepsi because it works well, it works like crazy, the meat candied with Pepsi in reduction and then, bim, we have the first New York dish. Then I thought, okay, what's Paris? Ah, I love burgers, but we're going to do it the French way. A French cheese, a bun - I took a bunz but croissant, a bit fashionable at the moment with this meat that's a bit French smash but not too much, and homemade barbecue sauce with only the Pepsi reduction. And there, bim, same thing, perfect combo. Afterwards, I also said to myself, for the main course, it's amazing: I took chicken, thigh-high, super cool, fried, like Fried Chicken, but I added some gochujang, I deglazed, I relaxed with Pepsi, it's less strong, with a little crunchy salad and everything. Then, even for the desserts, I thought, you know, French toast, but with Pepsi caramelized apples. Afterwards, I also had, like a caramel, Pepsi real caramel in which I relaxed the Pepsi. Same thing, perfect. And that was it. My favorite dessert, granita, it's too easy: a Pepsi granita, but with, me, my favorite is Pepsi Cherry. It's really a granita in which I've added cherry coulis and a few cherries.

Q: As the winner of season 7 of Top Chef, how did your experience on the show influence your culinary approach to this project with Pepsi ?

Xavier Pincemin: Top Chef is an experience where, basically, when you do it, you're forced to push your creative boundaries. And in fact, when I was told ok, new challenge, a restaurant, creativity, I'm in my Top Chef mindset. Some dishes, I really got into street food, I went looking for all the textures, the slightly innovative stuff, but above all to rediscover taste, textures and pleasure.

Q: Can you tell us about the challenges you faced in revisiting the street food classics of these three iconic cities ?

Xavier Pincemin: The hardest thing for me was to make every dish taste like Pepsi without it being sickeningly sweet. And even the hardest part was getting the Pepsi taste. Okay, that's a tough one, good approach. You really have to have the perfect balance, otherwise you don't taste it, or you taste it too much and it's lost. Still, it's the Pepsi, I used it as an aromatic, that's the plus.

Q: What specific ingredients or techniques did you use to give a unique touch to each of the menus, while remaining true to the essence of each city ?

Xavier Pincemin: I used specific ingredients. In terms of city choices, maybe the chicken with the gochujang, that's really local, something from home, but I twisted it with the Pepsi. New York, it's really the hot dog bun, but instead of using a sausage, I made this meat confit with Pepsi. And Paris, imagine, I made a merlot reduction with Pepsi instead of red wine. Yeah, it's something to think about.

Q: How do you see street food evolving in France and internationally, and what role do you think collaborations like the one with Pepsi play in this evolution ?

Xavier Pincemin: For me, street food is part of world gastronomy, it's another way of consuming. If you like, gastronomy used to be about eating well, being seated, service and all that. Today, I can eat very well in the street. There are starred chefs, street food guys, people all over the world who have stars with small restaurants. And that's good, it's a nice evolution. In fact, I think it's cool because it's 2024 and that's the way it is. Today, people either don't have the time, and that doesn't mean they don't have the time to eat badly. Today, it embodies that, because it allows us to make street food accessible in magical places in Paris and around the world, they're there and they make things happen.

Q: How did you integrate your own culinary style and identity as a chef into the dishes presented for this ephemeral experience ?

Xavier Pincemin: Well, I've got a community on the networks - YouTube, TikTok, Instagram - and I've taken a few of my own classics and retweeted them, with the addition of Pepsi. It's a bit of a mix of my whole universe, and in the end, it's cool because it comes across really well, and the whole community has responded.

Q: Which of the dishes or menus you created for this event is your favorite, and why ?

Xavier Pincemin: My favorite thing to eat are the starters, of course. I like the burger too, it's really rare and everything. And my favorite dessert is granita.

Q: What advice would you give to young chefs or cooking enthusiasts wishing to enter the world of street food ?

Xavier Pincemin: For me, the most important thing is that every person, every chef who watches this video, be yourself, stay yourself, because the best things come from yourself. Don't copy others.

Xavier Pincemin is a French chef renowned for his talent and culinary creativity. He gained national recognition by winning the seventh season of the TV show Top Chef in 2016. Having cut his teeth in prestigious establishments such as the Trianon Palace in Versailles, he now heads up his own restaurant, Le Pincemin, in Versailles. In this interview, he offered us a fascinating insight into his creative process and unique culinary approach. His ability to incorporate unexpected elements such as Pepsi into iconic street food dishes demonstrates his boldness and innovation. His vision of gastronomy, in which street food plays a key role, reflects a modernity and adaptability that appeal to gourmets from all horizons. Drawing on his varied experiences and remaining true to his culinary identity, Xavier Pincemin continues to push back the boundaries of traditional cuisine. His infectious enthusiasm and passion for gastronomic creativity make him a true pioneer in the world of street food. We look forward to seeing what new inspirations he has in store for us in the future.

(Source : press release)