WHO’S WHO

Local Personalities:  Didier Bachelet

by Dr. Iain Corness

It has been said by some wise folk, that life is just like climbing your personal mountain, and that may be so. For Didier Bachelet, the executive pastry-bakery chef at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, he knows just which mountain is his - it is Mont Blanc, and he can even tell you how many metres it is to the peak. And he is going to climb it before he dies!

Didier was born in Dijon, the mustard capital of Burgundy. His father was employed in the maintenance of printing machines, while his mother was an aide in an old folks home. However, mother used to make cakes at home, and the young Didier used to ‘help’ her. “I think I helped her more by eating them” said Didier laughing.

His grandfather was a baker, and by the time Didier was in his early teens he knew he wanted to be a pastry chef. He applied for early leave from school and early admission as an apprentice, so by the time he was 15 years of age he was employed on the bottom rung of his trade.

He was indentured to a baker who had a Masters degree in pastry cooking, and was acknowledged as one of the best chefs in the locality. “He taught me to love cooking,” said Didier. And after two years, Didier could cook too. All he needed was experience.

To get that, he moved to the south of France to a hotel on the beach and then moved on to Paris. “I really like moving,” said Didier. “There are only three reasons to move - one to improve yourself, two to learn and three to visit another country.”

With that credo, he went to Monaco, because he liked the sea and wanted to brush up his knowledge of ice cream making! He went to work with a very creative chef. “He showed me new ways of thinking about food. I really like to see any new ways because people change and you have to learn new ways.”

While he was in Monaco for 18 months he not only learned his new ways of cooking, but he also found new and creative ways to get in to see the famous Monaco F1 Grand Prix. “I didn’t pay the full price - I knew the security guard!”

Life with the rich and famous at Monaco came to end with his call-up for National Service. “I just carried a gun for a few hours, that was enough,” said Didier. While it was obvious to the military hierarchy that Private Bachelet was not front line material, they did manage to see the advantages of having him in the kitchen, and he spent his 12 months compulsory military duty in Paris, making cakes for generals.

He next went to Luxembourg, where he spent three years. He enjoyed the fact that this was very central in Europe and he could visit Belgium and Germany on his days off. However, he did not like going to bed and waking up to find 10 cm of snow outside his bedroom window. The south of France was warmer. He moved again.

This time it was to St. Jean Cap Ferrat, a nice little nook between Monaco and Nice. “I liked it. There was sea all around. I like oceans, the seas. I need water.” I can probably vouch for that, as the spot Didier picked for the interview was on the terrace of the Royal Cliff Grand, overlooking the ocean.

He spent four years there, in one of the most expensive spots in France, but then decided that it was time to return home and see his family, whom he had left when he was 17 years old to start on his life’s mountain climb. He spent two years back home, but took a holiday to a place called Thailand, and that was to dominate his future thinking. “I must have taken one thousand photos while I was here, but felt that I had to learn English before I could look for work in Thailand.”

The next step was one to learn English, and Didier himself even laughs about it. He rang an employment agency and asked for a job and they said they had one in Ireland. “Do they speak English,” said Didier by way of a joke, a question that many native English speakers might ask too, never mind a Frenchman! So he went to Ireland and even found time there to do a three month English language course at the University of Limerick. (I refrained from phrasing my next question as “There once was a French pastry cook, Who a course in English he took, He wanted to speak better, So he learned every letter, And the rest he got from a book!” Oh yes, Limerick has a lot to answer for!)

After two years he was ready and came to Thailand. Did he have a job waiting? No, he did not. “I did not know who to contact. I think to myself, if I find, I find. If I don’t, then ...” all said with a Gallic shrug of the shoulders. He gave himself three months to find the right job. He knocked on the doors of all the big hotels in his French Guide Book until after two months one gave him an interview on the spot and he was quickly hired.

Bangkok was good for him and he even was invited to provide a recipe for the Royal Project Recipe Book, something he is very proud of. However, he missed the sea, and jumped at the chance of the position at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, beside the ocean.

He is happy here, married to “the most beautiful girl on the planet,” and they are expecting their first baby. He can go snorkelling here and enjoy his hobby of photography, while planning his assault on Mont Blanc. “Zis I know I will do,” said Didier, as his final words!