“People ask us all the time how in the world we found ourselves, a mother-daughter duo from Arizona, living and working in the heart of Burgundy,” writes Marjorie Taylor. “It didn’t start with a road map or a fancy bank account, but really, with two things: French food and French culture.”
Marjorie, a pastry chef and cook who had run her own French-inflected restaurant and cooking school in Phoenix, passed on her Francophilia to her daughter, Kendall Smith Franchini, who, after majoring in French in college, studied viticulture in Burgundy and worked for wine importer Kermit Lynch. Kendall led the complex way to the two of them opening The Cook’s Atelier, their cooking school and shop, in the walled Burgundian town of Beaune.
We’ve been avidly following their journey since 2015: see A Year in Burgundy about the school, and Christmas in Burgundy, a look at Kendall’s family home: she’s now married to Laurent Franchini, who grew up in the South of France and runs The Cook’s Atelier kitchen boutique and wine shop, and they have three children. Kendall and Marjorie have just come out with their second cookbook, French at Heart, a compendium of, in Kendall’s words “reachable and not-too-pretentious recipes” (scroll to the end for their lovely take on radishes with butter). Kitchen secrets also included—and many ways to create joie-de-vivre. We just spotlighted Kendall and Laurent’s idyllic garden–see American Expats Grow Their Dreams in Burgundy—and today, we’re visiting The Cook’s Atelier school and Kendall and Laurent’s home kitchen.
Photography by Anson Smart from French at Heart: Recipes that Bring France Home by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini with Jess Thomson. The book is newly out from Abrams.
Marjorie raised Kendall, her only child, as a single mother in Phoenix. “I didn’t set out thinking I would ever end up living in France,” she writes. “Kendall’s love for French culture altered the course of her life, and eventually mine.” After a successful culinary career in Arizona, Marjorie began her French journey by convincing Anne Willan to allow her to intern at her cooking school La Varenne.
Tip: The Cook’s Atelier rents a two-bedroom flat with a kitchenette in the school’s original historic location in Beaune.
Above: The range is a Lacanche Sully, a Burgundy brand made just miles away. The go-to pots and pans are Mauviel copperware available from their shop and online boutique. They polish the copper with salt and lemon juice using a lemon half as a scrubber.
Radis Beurre Revisited
Ingredients:
- 24 small round radishes (such as Cherry Belle) with pretty tops, rinsed and dried thoroughly
- 8 ounces (2 sticks/225 g) unsalted European-style butter, at cool room temperature, cut into cubes
- Fleur de sel, for garnish
The Cook’s Atelier’s version of the French apéritif: rather than serving the ingredients separately, they dunk crisp radishes into a “quick butter mousse” so they look like strawberries dipped in white chocolate. Make the mousse by creating a double boiler: heat an inch of water in a saucepan and place the butter in a heatproof bowl large enough to balance over the pan without touching the simmering water. Gently heat the butter, whisking until smooth (but not melted or separated).
When the butter looks “like melted white chocolate,” dip each radish three quarters of the way up, twisting to coat. Wipe away excess butter and sprinkle coated radishes with flaky salt; cool on a parchment-lined sheet pan placed in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
Heading to France? Peruse our Design Travel favorites, including:
Le Doyenné: A Potager-to-Table Restaurant and Guesthouse an Hour from Paris
Hotel of the Moment: Lilou in Hyères, near the Mediterranean
Papotte: A Burgundy Holiday House Enclave in a 15th Century Mill
Frequently asked questions
How did Marjorie Taylor and her daughter Kendall end up living and working in Burgundy?
Marjorie, a pastry chef and cook, passed on her Francophilia to her daughter Kendall, who studied viticulture in Burgundy. They opened The Cook's Atelier, a cooking school and shop, in Beaune.
What is the name of the cookbook that Marjorie and Kendall recently came out with?
They have just come out with their second cookbook, 'French at Heart', which includes reachable and not-too-pretentious recipes along with kitchen secrets and ways to create joie-de-vivre.
How do Marjorie and Kendall recommend getting crispy skin on roast chicken?
To get crispy skin on roast chicken, they recommend leaving the uncooked chicken uncovered in the fridge for up to 48 hours before roasting it. They also start the cooking process in a 'smoking hot pan and a high oven temperature,' with no butter or oil necessary.
What DIY cleaning solution do Marjorie and Kendall use to keep kitchen surfaces and windows clean?
They use a DIY cleaning solution scented with clove to keep the flies away. The solution is made by boiling 5 whole cloves in 1 1/4 cups water, then stirring in 1 tablespoon dish soap and 1 cup distilled white vinegar once cool. The mixture is transferred to a spray bottle.
What is included in the recipe for 'Radis Beurre Revisited'?
The recipe includes small round radishes, unsalted European-style butter, and fleur de sel. The radishes are dipped into a 'quick butter mousse' to resemble strawberries dipped in white chocolate.
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