Growing up, Chef Thibault Sombardier spent hours in the kitchen with his grandmother. There, while hanging around and trying his best to see high enough that he could watch her chopping up fresh ingredients and making culinary magic, he experienced aromas and tastes that would stick with him for life.

But his most priceless moment - the day that truly inspired his culinary passion – came when he was just eight years old when his father took him to the kitchens of the ‘Pope of Gastronomy’ himself, Paul Bocuse.

He has been on an amazing journey ever since, including training with some of France's most iconic and innovative chefs including Marc Meneau, Bernard Constantin, Alian Dutournier, and Yannick Alleno. In 2012 he received his first Michelin star as the chef of Antoine in the 16th arrondissement in Paris. And in 2014, he was a finalist in the famed reality cooking show Top Chef.

Today, Sombardier is the chef of two Parisian bistros, Mensae and Sellae. He creates menus that combine the highest level of culinary arts with simple approaches that allow the freshness of his ingredients to take center stage, as he does in this trio of recipes he's sharing with Mastercard cardholders.

But don't think you'll need Michelin-level gastronomic greatness and tons of time to replicate these dishes at home. As Sombardier says, "I don't like overly complicated cooking. I often like to get to the point." That outlook makes these the perfect meals to try with your loved ones at home.

The first recipe, winter vegetable aioli, features purple turnips, Jerusalem artichokes, kohlrabi, and Romanesco cabbage, quickly cooked in boiling water so they remain crisp. They're plated over Kalamata olive tapenade and served with an aromatic, buttery sauce flavoured with rice vinegar, white wine, soy sauce, and the vegetable peelings (which makes this vegetarian dish zero-waste as well). You can following along step by step with the chef in this video.

Download recipe:  Priceless Cookbook - Chef Thibault Sombardier's Winter Vegetable Aioli

Next, Thibault Sombardier combines a classic Italian panini and Indian street food by creating a sandwich using naan as bread. First, he makes Indian naan from scratch using wheat flour, Greek yogurt, and a few other basics. Then, he shows how to prepare condiments, including pickles made from mini cucumbers, plus stewed onions and olives in Worcestershire sauce, tomato concentrate, and red wine vinegar. Lastly, he demonstrates how to assemble the sandwich with mortadella and speck, buffalo mozzarella, and fresh chopped greens by pan-frying each side of naan and then finishing it in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Stay tuned, as the video tutorial for this recipe will be on priceless.com soon!

Download recipe:  Priceless Cookbook - Chef Thibault Sombardier's Naan Sandwich

Finally, the chef showcases a spin on one of his favourite French fish dishes, sole meunière. "I'm a big fan," he says. "It's a great classic that can be defined in many different ways. Here, I wanted to offer this dish with flavours and fragrances of Southeast Asia." Sombardier starts by soaking the sole in milk for about ten minutes. Afterward, he dredges it in flour and fries it in oil and butter, before finishing it with garlic, ginger, Moroccan chile pepper, lime zest, and fresh coriander to give it an inspired kick. Keep an eye out for the video tutorial coming soon to priceless.com. 

Download recipe:  Priceless Cookbook - Chef Thibault Sombardier's Sole Meunière

Are your taste buds craving more? Download the recipes and cook along with the chef on video here.