Salut! Chef Tris here your friendly Parisian food tour guide, diving deep into the heart of Paris to bring its culinary wonders to life for visitors. But what happens on the days when I’m not leading eager foodies through the historic streets? Today, I invite you into my world, sharing a typical day in my life when I’m not on tour. It’s a day filled with family, food, and the quiet beauty of Parisian life. It’s a sneak peek into the real deal—no frills, just good coffee, better pastries, and the best company a food-loving Parisian could ask for.
My Paris awakens, not with a groan, but with the excited purrs of our kitten Rose ready for breakfast. Our daughter may have made her way to our bed at some point in the early morning and if it’s not the cat purring that gets us out of bed, it will be my wife’s shrieks as the cat contents herself with licking the naturally delicious beuty products my Parisian wife slathered herself with the night before.
I have two girls demanding breakfast, the cat and the little one, while I’m trying to water myself into consciousness with a hefty glass of H2O, our bodies are after all hydro-powered machines that need fuel first thing. Once both girls are fed, one with croquettes and the other a large bowl of milk and prince biscuits and fruit. I take a second to look out over my garden, the dew glistens on the grass, I spot a neighbour hanging out of their window enjoying an early morning cigarette. These moments before the day blooms are precious. It’s normally the gooseneck kettle that beeps me back to consciousness once it hits the perfect 92 degrees for my V60 and the aroma of fresh coffee fills the air. It’s a time for my family to gather, share plans for the day, and enjoy the calm before the storm of daily life descends.
As the clock ticks towards 8:20 am, the pace quickens. The morning’s a mad dash of tea, coffee, and ensuring my little one doesn’t leave the house looking like it’s me who dressed her. Apperently I never make the right choices, Dad dressing is just as good as if she’d been dressed by a particularly distracted Parisian pigeon. The walk to school is a cherished 90 second ritual, a time for little conversations and hurried Bonjour’s to other neighbours and Parents. This is the last year we can take her to her class, so we enter the school and join the line of school mates and fellow sleepy parents, before a quick greeting to the teacher and I kiss my daughter goodbye and she steps into her day, leaving me to mine.
Today I’m my own Food Tour Guide
The school run done, my wife has left for the office. It is just me and the cat. I seize the moment for some personal time. Whether it’s a quick trip to our local pool or a walk along the Seine or a moment of quiet reflection, this is when I set the tone for the day ahead. Emails checked and plans laid out, my next stop is invariably I’m off to flirt with vegetables at the local french market. Here, amidst the morning bustle, I sip my coffee and chat with the vendors, whose stories and wares are as familiar to me as my own kitchen. The bakery is next, where the scent of freshly baked bread is a siren call I can never resist. Eating like the french is the art of not having a scandalous affair with a croissant that’s all butter and sass, everyday. I grab a baguette and head home to rustle up some lunch. It’s these simple, daily interactions that ground me in the rhythms of Parisian life.
Lunch on my own is always a simple affair, today I’m not a food tour guide, left overs from the fridge are thrown at the microwave and always accompanied with fresh bread and cheese to follow. I consume more coffee and contemplate what I will write about today.
Some days, I will hope on my bike and cycle into the heart of Paris. My bike and I weave through the streets, me playing it cool like I’m not secretly racing every mobilette that dares to zoom by. Paris unfolds before me, its streets alive with history and promise. Cycling in Paris is to experience the city’s heartbeat, its cobblestone streets and grand boulevards a map of endless stories. The afternoon’s for writing, dreaming up tours that would make Bourdain raise his glass in approval from wherever food legends kick back.
Some days I will hide in a book shop with the latest culinary affair penned by a parisian or an in a library where I will hunt for old books on french cuisine or the history of Paris.
My afternoons are dedicated to writing this food blog or to dreaming up the next culinary adventure for my guests. It’s a time of creativity, fueled by the vibrant life of the café and the steady hum of Paris around me. Here, I craft the stories and experiences that I’ll share with my future tour guests, drawing on the rich tapestry of Parisian cuisine and culture to create something truly unique.
Most day’s I have to be back at 4.30 to pick up the little one from school.
In the evening I’m our Families Food Tour Guide
I collect my daughter from school, and together we meander through the park or tend to our small garden, sharing stories of our day. Then, it’s time for one of my favourite daily rituals: cooking dinner. The kitchen is my sanctuary, the place where I translate my love for my family into dishes that nourish and delight. Dinner on the table by 7 pm is a goal I cherish, a moment of gathering and gratitude.
Evening’s when I turn from worldly guide to wizard of the home kitchen, conjuring up a dinner that says “I might have spent the day in sweatpants, but behold my culinary prowess.” It’s about family, food, and the kind of love that’s best served with a side of bread fresh enough to make a baker weep.
If the little one has friends over for dinner, then we call it “Le Restaurant de Daddy” she’s 5 so they love the show as much as the food. Even if it’s something simple, I always try and cook them something that will allow them to taste something new. If it’s just the three of us then we tend to keep it simple in the week. Soup, Salad and cheeseboard is all we need. On my journey learning to eat like the french my wife has taught me that as long as the meal is balanced, she will be happy.
The obsession that lead me to become a Food Tour Guide
My passion for sublime eating ties the chapters of my life together, driven by an insatiable inner child craving to feast everywhere. This hunger fueled my journey to become not just any food tour guide, but a conduit of culinary joy, eager to scatter seeds of gastronomic love across the globe. From penning down epicurean tales to sharing table-side marvels, my aim is to kindle that exhilarating sensation when food so divine sends a shiver down your spine. Starting this business is slow, but joyful. As I write more and mroe, I am excited to meet more people who want to embark on this flavor-packed odyssey, transforming every meal into a celebration.
This is the life of a Parisian food tour guide on the days between tours—a life rich in simplicity, family, and the culinary traditions that are the heartbeat of Paris. It’s a life I love deeply, one that feeds my soul as much as it does my passion for sharing Paris’s culinary wonders with the world. So, the next time you’re in Paris, looking for an authentic taste of the city, remember that the best experiences are crafted by those who live and love their city every day. Join me, and let’s discover the real Paris, one bite at a time.