FIRE: MAN’S BEST FRIEND

In the Beginning:

Yvan Lemoine wasn’t born into cooking, but rather found it as a necessity for survival. A very charismatic Lemoine points out, “My mom was a horrible cook. I mean horrible! So I had a choice: either learn to cook or die from starvation.”

Lemoine grew up in Caracas, Venezuela and came to New York at the age of 14, where he found his love for cooking while attending Long Island City High School. Quickly recognizing his potential, Lemoine’s teacher put him in touch with the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP).

With the help of C-CAP, a 15-year-old Lemoine was soon working full-time honing his culinary skills under the tutelage of La Caravelle’s, Chef Cyril Renaud, where he was trained in both classic and refined French-American cuisine and later advancing to become their Pastry Chef where he mastered the art of French pastry techniques. Never one to settle, Lemoine soon went on to become apprentice to the world-famous chocolatier, Jacques Torres, formerly of Le Cirque 2000.

But a desire for further exposure to the culinary world sent Lemoine on a personal mission to work with only the best that New York had to offer. This quest landed him apprenticeships under New York City’s best and brightest in the culinary industry: Rocco DiSpirito (Union Pacific, Rocco’s, Tuscan); Jahangir Mehta (Aix); and Sam Mason (WD-50).

Molecular Gastronomy:

Being a chef was great, but Lemoine quickly discovered that all the fun, action, excitement, and women could be found while working behind the bar. After talking his way into working as a bartender at Greek restaurant MILOS (a job he had never done before), Yvan soon found his second calling.

Experimenting with liquid nitrogen was a very intriguing idea, and after eight years and countless hours of experimentation, Lemoine has become successful in satisfying New York City’s most discerning palates with some of his leading signature desserts: Frost-Bitten Martini, Raspberry Feuillete; Salt and Caramel Ganache; and Apple Crepes.

Doing a 360º:

In his efforts to further his career and continue to grow, Lemoine reconnected with Cyril Renaud in fall 2000 and went to work helping Renaud open the famed Fleur de Sel. Finally finding his niche in consulting, Lemoine has since added the acclaimed GILT, West Village dessert bar, P*ONG, and Boston’s Asian-inspired Boston Public (formerly Restaurant L) to his respected list of credentials.

The Birth of a Dream:

In today’s competitive culinary world, it is the hottest, loudest and friendliest products that get the attention. So after many years of being a chef, Yvan decided to introduce a new concept in food and beverage media. By combining the talents of chefs, bartenders, and innovative, young, creative people, iFood Studios was conceived and created to do just that. Working together with public relations agencies, producers, and communication companies from coast to coast, iFood Studios has arranged unforgettable food and beverage promotional campaigns, media tours, web videos and exciting T.V. appearances across the country. He is also part of a monthly Spanish cooking segment on Univision, and participates in bilingual demos and was a competitor on the Food Network Challenge.

Lemoine’s iFood Studios has been successful in understanding its target demographic and delivering a winning product - fireworks and all. If there is something new going on, you can bet iFood Studios either started it or is there helping to fuel the fire. Lemoine has put iFood Studios at the forefront of all things food and beverage.

For more information on Chef Yvan Lemoine's projects, visit www.ifoodstudios.com