If you have a Francophile Mom in your life, she would love to have a French Riviera themed Mother's Day. To spend an afternoon in the sun, a glass of Rosé in hand, enjoying delicious food while being pampered by the ones she loves. The French Riviera for me is more than a destination, it […]
5 lessons I learned cooking live for the first time
This past Saturday I held my very first LIVE cooking demonstration. Sure, I have been food blogging for several years now and have often shared videos of my recorded recipes on instagram or facebook stories. However, never ever have I logged in to zoom to find a "room" full of people, looking back at me […]
Simple French Riviera Spring Menu
On Saturday, April 17th I will be hosting a cooking demonstration for Alliance Française, Washington DC Chapter. (Link here to register before it is too late!) It got me thinking about all that I love to cook in spring time. After months of soups and slow-cooked meals that bring warmth and comfort in winter, in […]
Authentic Olive Tapenade
Tapenade aux olives provençal or, Authentic Provençal Olive Tapenade, is a delicious spread of olives, garlic, capers and often anchovies, that is served in the South of France. Most restaurants and market bistros will serve a small dish of tapenade accompanied with totis (Provençal for small slices of toasted baguette) or vegetable spears the moment […]
French Asparagus Recipe with a Champagne Citrus Vinaigrette
This French Asparagus with a Champagne Citrus Vinaigrette is simple and flavorful. The bright flavors of citrus and the pop of champagne pair beautifully with fresh spring Asparagus, cooked to perfection. Did I mention that it is a vegan recipe, too? Making a delightful French Asparagus side dish is much easier than you think. With […]
Simple Provençal Tomato Soup with Goat Cheese Tartines
Few things are as comforting as a rich tomato soup on a rainy day. This Simple Provençal Tomato Soup with Goat Cheese Tartines is a family favorite and gives a South of France spin to the American Classic. Adding basil pesto (or fresh basil if it is in season) to the soup at the last […]
Le Chef's Wife Essential Kitchen Tools
One of the upsides of being a Chef's wife is that, little by little, I have amassed a kitchen filled with super functional tools that I love. My husband has lovingly stocked our kitchen with professional grade tools that are practical for home cooks like me. I realized, after many messages from you, chers amis, […]
Potage aux Légumes (French Vegetable Soup)
Potage aux Légumes is a French vegetable soup that has been blended until there are no visible chunks left. It can also be known as soupe passée or soupe moulinée. Similar to a creamed soup, except that there does not need to be any cream. My French Grandmother-in-law loved to serve a potage soup to […]
Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Romantic French Menu
Are you cooking at home for Valentine's Day? As a Chef's wife I have gotten used to not celebrating Valentine's Day on the actual day. Instead, Le Chef and I enjoy cooking a romantic meal together at home the day before or after Valentine's. We plan ahead for a restaurant-worthy meal that will feel special. […]
How to cook Filet Mignon
How to cook Filet Mignon like a French Chef. Filet Mignon is one of the most tender cuts of steak and when cooked properly at home feels very luxurious. Le Chef and I enjoy serving steak at home because, like with the Seared Scallops and Leeks in White Wine appetizer, the star of the show […]
Seared White Wine Scallops and Leeks Recipe
Pan Seared White Wine Diver Scallops and Leeks make for a delicious and elegant French-inspired appetizer. The sweet, buttery taste of the scallops pairs beautifully with the slight tang of leeks. This dish is super simple to make and yet is impressive to serve. Le Chef had this dish on his menu in the South […]
Healthy Freezer Meal Batch Cooking
How I cook 24 made-from-scratch meals in one hour with my healthy freezer meal batch cooking technique As a working mom with two kids I don't have a lot of time to be cooking every day. However, it is a priority for me to be able to serve healthy, tasty meals to my family. I […]
How to host an Après-Ski in your backyard
Après-Ski. The name immediately evokes a ski vacation in the French Alps. Cheeks rosy from the cold, a steaming mug of mulled wine in hand and a meal that warms you up, inside and out. Since there is very little chance that I will be skiing the French Alps this year, Le Chef and I […]
Vin Chaud au Grand Marnier Recipe
A luxurious Après-Ski drink When Le Chef was beginning his culinary career in France he used to work all summer long on his native French Riviera, an iconic tourist destination for the wealthy. In the winter, when the jet set flocked to chic ski resorts, Le Chef was employed in the epicenter of the French […]
French Themed New Year's Eve at home
It goes without saying that New Year's Eve this year will be very different for most people. Many of us will be ringing in the New Year from home. To be honest, it is exactly how I have always loved to celebrate the holiday and this year is no exception. After the year we have […]
Authentic Swiss Cheese Fondue
My earliest childhood food memories are of making this Cheese Fondue, my Grandmother Pauly's Authentic Swiss Cheese Fondue. In this exact same red pot. My grandmother was Swiss German. She grew up in Davos, one of the most beautiful little traditional Swiss villages you ever did see, nestled in the mountains near Zurich. During the […]
Easiest Lemon Cranberry Cake Ever
Cranberry cake has always been synonymous with the Holidays to me. The tart, tangy cranberries are the perfect complement to a creamy, moist cake brightened by citrus. When I couldn't find our family's classic Cranberry Cake recipe I begin testing recipes and played around ingredients to come up with the closest possible resemblance to our […]
Best gifts for home cooks under $25
This Christmas I have vowed to give my family useful gifts. We don't know when we will wear nice shoes or dress clothes again, but I do know that I have been spending A LOT of time in the kitchen. As a Chef's Wife I am lucky to have some pretty cool tools in my […]
Le Chef's Wife Minestrone
My mom taught me to make big batches of chunky, meal-in-a-bowl soups as the ultimate healthy meal. She would make a big pot on the weekend, then eat it through the week. Now that I have children too, I have taken to freezing individual portions of this soup to pull out whenever I don't have […]
Healthy 3 Bean Turkey Chili
The first time I ever made this Healthy 3 Bean Turkey Chili I was surprised at just how easy it was. With just 10 minutes of prep time you can have a big pot of fragrant Chili bubbling away on the stove. I have tried several different types of Chili but I keep coming back […]
6 Birthday Cake Baking Fails and how to fix them
It all started when I called our local cake shop to have a cake made for Valentina's Birthday. My soon-to-be 3 year old daughter asked for a Ballerina cake and I, knowing absolutely nothing about cakes except from what I learned watching Neurotic Mom's instagram videos, chose the most beautiful cake with the fondant ballet […]
Roasted Plum, Goat Cheese & Lemon Thyme Salad Recipe
This Roasted plum, goat cheese and lemon thyme salad recipe tastes of summer. Long, languorous lunches outdoors is what the best summer memories are made of, in my opinion. A chilled bottle of Rosé, a crusty baguette and a dish made with care that is as lush as it is light. This is how I […]
Sparkling Rosemary Peach Piscine Cocktail
One sip of this Sparkling Rosemary Peach Piscine Cocktail immediately brings me back to beach days on the French Riviera. Legend has it that Brigitte Bardot herself coined the term "Piscine" to refer to the oversized glasses of Rosé served over ice cubes in the glamorous beach clubs of Saint-Tropez. There are many variations of […]
How to host a drive by Baby Shower
If, like me, you are pregnant and worried about having a baby shower during a pandemic, I think you will find these tips on how to host a drive by baby shower useful. After months at home with barely any contact with the outside world, having a drive by baby shower was one of the […]
How a French Riviera study exchange turned into a career in luxury hotels
By: Anina Belle Giannini Article first published on Renatahaidle.com May 26 2020 What started out as a 3 month study exchange program to the French Riviera... I was 23 years old when I arrived in Nice for my university study exchange. My expat experience began as most study abroad experiences do. I made a great […]
Easy Spring Asparagus Soup Recipe
Easy spring asparagus soup recipe. Flavorful and rich, no cream needed. 4 main ingredients: Asparagus, potatoes, onion and garlic. Bon Appétit!
French Easter Traditions
French Easter Traditions in the South of France France, and especially the South of France, has a strong catholic heritage and Easter weekend is not only a three but a four day public holiday. With the temperatures between the high 60s and mid 70s in April on the French Riviera, you can imagine how busy […]
Introducing Le Chef's Baby Books - A children's book series for foodies.
Follow along on our journey to publish a children's book series about good food and healthy eating habits with a francophile twist, bien sûr! Almost two years ago I began working on a children's book series together with my husband and the exceptionally talented illustrator, Elena Fay. In reading bedtime stories to my daughter I […]
Romantic Day Date in DC
French Inspired Romantic Day Date with Le Chef in Washington, DC After the birth of our daughter, a romantic day date in DC has become our favorite way to reconnect. Around the holidays, we love going downtown in DC. With all the decorations and the chic French shops - add in a stop at Le […]
Weekend Breakfast Ritual à la Française
Le Petit-Déjeuner Weekend breakfasts while living on the French Riviera were one my favorite little luxuries. We would often enjoy a weekend breakfast ritual à la Française. Le Chef and I would take our dog, Heidi, for a long walk along The Promenade des Anglais and then sit down on a terrace to enjoy a […]
Fête de Fiançailles - Engagement Party
My engagement party to Le Chef in the South of France and what I learnt about entertaining "à la Française".
Prendre L'air
While living on the French Riviera “Aller prendre l’air” was a magical cure-all for so many things.
It means to go out and take in air. Such a simple concept but it was part of our every day life. The hour long lunch breaks at work always included stepping out of the office and having a coffee (espresso, of course) next to the sea.
24 Hours in Nice, France
To say that Le Chef and I love Nice is an understatement. Nice is us. We lived here as a couple and celebrated our civil wedding ceremony in the Vieux Nice. Nice deserves at least 3 days (or 3 years, truly) but because Le Chef's family lives in Toulon, now we often only get to […]
L'Apéro - Cocktail Hour
L'Apéro When we lived in Nice, Le Chef and I loved inviting friends over for L'Apéro at our house. Similar to cocktail hour but with more food, L'Apéro is an informal, yet chic, way to entertain that does not require a lot of investment or preparation and creates a wonderful evening!
Easy Bolognaise sauce
Le Chef's Wife Easy Bolognaise Sauce This Bolognaise sauce is one of Le Chef's all time favorite meals. He loves it so much that it has become our Sunday night ritual. I open a bottle of red wine ( likely a Bordeaux or a rich Bandol), pour each of us a glass and start cooking […]
How we met - Notre Rencontre
Twenty-three years old and in my last year of business school I went on a study exchange to a university in Nice, France. I had visited Nice while backpacking through Europe with a friend of mine and had immediately known that I wanted to go back. Only a few weeks into my exchange, the professor […]
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