Chef Biography
Gene Bjorklund apprenticed at Chez Antione in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France in the early 1980’s. He went on to study culinary arts at the Lycée Technique d’ Hôtellerie in Nice, France. Following graduation in 1983, he cooked at Arc 2000 Club Med in the French Alps; in 1984 he became the garde manger at Club Med in Copper Mountain, Colorado and in 1985 was offered the same position for the summer at the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, Michigan. Marriott made him a sous chef at two of their properties in 1986, and in 1987 he became the chef tournant for Great Chef Jose Guttierez at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. In 1992, he was brought over as “stagiaire” for Great Chef Alain Ducasse’s Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo.
In 1993, Chef Bjorklund and his wife Juliana returned to Memphis to open Aubergine Restaurant on the east side of Memphis, and the Great Chefs television crew showed up in May of 1994 to tape him for Discovery Channel’s Great Chefs – Great Cities series.
Aubergine closed in the early 2000’s and Chef Bjorklund returned to Europe.
Recipes
Tempura-battered Frog Legs with Arugula Creamy Tartar Sauce
Serving: 4 Print Tempura-battered Frog Legs with Arugula Creamy Tartar Sauce By Great Chefs November 10, 2015 The cliché is always, “tastes like chicken.” But frog legs are relatively easy to find at large groceries or specialty stores, and provide their own panache. These are formed into little drumsticks, then dipped in tempura batter flavored […]
Warm Center Chocolate Pyramid Cake
Serving: 6 Print Warm Center Chocolate Pyramid Cake By Great Chefs November 9, 2015 Nuggets of frozen chocolate are buried deep inside cake batter in molds which are then frozen overnight before baking. When served warm from the oven, the small molded cakes hide their secret until split by a fork — liquid chocolate centers. […]
Roasted-Vegetable Terrine with Parmesan Wafers
Serving: 4 Print Roasted-Vegetable Terrine with Parmesan Wafers By Great Chefs November 9, 2015 Colorful layers of tomato, eggplant. zucchini, and bell peppers are pressed into a chilled terrine bursting with flavor. Clever garnishes add a spark to this classic French dish: curls of deep-fried eggplant skins and crispy wafers of Parmesan cheese. Ingredients Plum […]
Red Snapper with Tomatoes, Basil, Fennel, and Lemon
Serving: 4-6 Print Red Snapper with Tomatoes, Basil, Fennel, and Lemon By Great Chefs November 9, 2015 Mediterranean flavors combine beautifully with mild red snapper. Tomatoes, fennel, and carrot are spiced with a little coriander and bay leaf to form a bed for sauteed snapper fillets. Note that the chef suggests this will serve four […]
White Pepper Ice Cream with Bananas
Serving: 4 to 6 Print White Pepper Ice Cream with Bananas By Great Chefs November 9, 2015 A lovely surprise: an ice cream seasoned with ground white pepper and served on a bed of orange-glazed bananas. This ice cream would be a wonderful touch with any fruit. You could also mix fennel with the peppercorns […]
Foie Gras and Onion Confit
Serving: 4 Print Foie Gras and Onion Confit By Great Chefs October 3, 2015 This entree brings together a harmonious blend of tart apples and sweet onions to accompany roasted foie gras. The onion confit must be prepared 24 hours in advance of preparing foie gras; it cooks 24 hours in a low-temperature oven. Plan […]