Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo

Acclaimed British pastry chef Rachel Khoo displays her passion and flair for the cuisine of Paris as she tries to prove that simple cooking can produce sensational results. She prepares her own unique take on the classic croque madame, makes a batch of madeleine cakes, shops in a Moroccan food market, and explores the French capital's rooftops to find honey created by Parisian bees.

The baguette is an instantly recognizable French staple. But as renowned pastry chef Rachel Khoo discovers, there’s more to it than meets the eye. She enlists the expertise of a local baker to help her prepare the perfect French bread. She then puts her own twist on a traditional boeuf Bourguignon, before creating a delicious chocolate sponge oozing with salted caramel.

Genius pastry chef Rachel Khoo is known for creating incredible sweet treats. But she’s decided to leave her comfort zone as she puts her own twist on that classic of French cuisine, cassoulet. She prepares an unusual cake made from pistachio and goat's cheese after visiting an award-winning cheese shop. Then she heads to Rungis to produce steak tartare for a group of local butchers.

Award-winning chef Rachel Khoo continues her journey through French cuisine by creating sticky chicken, coated with a lavender and lemon glaze. She displays her patisserie skills with a batch of zesty grapefruit and pepper meringue tartlets. In the style of a true Parisian, Rachel takes a trip to the French seaside town of Trouville, where she’s treated to scallops in creamy mustard mayonnaise.

As she continues to explore French cuisine, Rachel Khoo serves the lightest of desserts, iles flottantes, where poached meringues drift on the creamiest vanilla custard. She samples exquisite Normandy oysters at a stall offering five succulent varieties. Finally, she visits Joel Thiebault, the French 'king of vegetables' and selects succulent beetroot for her superb lentil and goat's cheese salad.

Rachel tackles the French cuisine classic quiche Lorraine, with a creamy filling and melt-in-the-mouth pastry. She also fulfils an all-time desire by turning her hand to crêpe making with a Parisian street vendor. She visits a Vietnamese restaurant to explore the latest Asian food trends and serves up her twist on beef wellington, featuring caramelized onions in golden flaky pastry.