classical v. modern
Photography by Adam Illsley
top: Maureen "Molly" Brandt
bottom: Jomae Walo
Legend behind the classical seafood stew bouillabaisse is vast,
from tales of its origin
in 600 B.C. in Ancient
Greece to the more widely
accepted version of its
formation in the French
port town of Marseille.
Maureen “Molly” Brandt,
CEC, chef de cuisine
of 150 Central Park on
Miami-based Royal
Caribbean’s Allure of the
Seas, explains that most
chefs believe fishermen
would return from the sea
and boil the unsalable bony
fish and smaller mollusks
caught that day in a pot
of seawater flavored with
garlic and fennel.
Through the years, the
dish has evolved, with
the addition of tomatoes
and eventually, saffron.
Regardless of its precise
origin, bouillabaisse has
become a mainstay in
restaurants and homes
around the globe.
The stew is made with an
assortment of fish and
shellfish, onions, tomatoes,
white wine, olive oil,
garlic, saffron and herbs,
according to Food Lover’s
Companion (Baron’s
Educational Series, Inc.,
2007). The dish’s name is
derived from its cooking
method, in which the
broth comes to a boil and
the seafood is added one
variety at a time. In many
classic versions the stew is
ladled over thick slices of
French bread.
Brandt and Jomae Walo,
commis 1 on the ship,
chose to demonstrate
Julia Child’s bouillabaisse
with rouille because of
its flavors and colors, and
because it allowed them
to bring fresh seafood on
the boat to work with and
enjoy—a rare treat.
By making the classical
version, students will
enhance knife skills,
improve on time-
management skills and
learn to make fish stock.
The modern recipe builds
on all the classical flavors
while adding modern
techniques, such as the
agar syneresis method
used to produce
a clear broth.
“The modern dish is
certainly not simple, and
it is time-consuming,
but it’s broken down into
its various components,
so it is more digestible,”
Brandt says.
