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French food has always had a reputation for precision, perfection—and pressure.
Often, because of its sophistication known in the culinary world, French cuisine can seem scary. But when I visited the final round of Institut Français Indonesia’s French Recipe Competition at the Modena Experience Center on Oct. 11, that myth began to crumble.
Ten chefs stood over their counters, racing against time with surprising calm. Each plated something distinct, creative and confidently French. Watching the cook-off, I realized: You don’t need a Michelin kitchen to create a moment of delicious indulgence.
So here are five curated French dishes from that day that anyone can make at home, each designed for a different kind of craving.
If there’s one dish that captures the spirit of effortless French cooking, this is it.
Winner Fidia Apriliana’s Sea Bass en Papillote—literally “in parchment paper”—steals the show by doing less, not more.
“It’s a very flexible and passive dish,” she explains.
“You can put any herbs you like in the pouch, but traditionally, it’s just lemon, tomatoes, scallions and the fish. All the work you do is just prep, so it’s a perfect dish to try at home.”
En papillote means cooking by sealing all the ingredients in a paper bag, which is then steamed, allowing the flavors to concentrate and retain moisture. Essentially, you can make any ingredients en papilotte, but this method is mostly used to cook fish.
Her version added black olives, baby corn, thyme, olive oil and garlic—cooked in the oven for just 15 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
When she unwrapped the parchment, the aroma filled the room like applause. It’s proof that sometimes, the most elegant meals are the ones that make themselves.
Unwrap Fidia’s full winning recipe here.
You might already know it—the bright, layered vegetable dish that became a star in Pixar’s 2007 movie, Ratatouille. The film inspired contestant Adilla Maisuri to recreate it.
“It was one of my favorite movies when I was little,” she tells me.
“And I thought that ratatouille itself looked like such a memorable, tasty dish.”
All you need are simple base ingredients: eggplants, zucchinis and tomatoes. You’ll also need olive oil, chopped onions, garlic and bell peppers. For the sauce: basil and thyme.
Adilla says the hardest part isn’t the cooking, it’s the patience to arrange it neatly and beautifully. And maybe that’s the point: Cooking as a quiet, visual meditation.
Pro tip: Arrange your vegetables in a baking dish, layering them on top of the sauce, then roast them in an oven.
Check out how the final dish comes together here.
If comfort had a smell, this would be it—caramelized onions mingling with butter and thyme. Medan-based contestant Danu Rizky chose the classic Soupe à l’oignon, a dish that’s deceptively simple but rich with patience.
“What’s time-consuming—and is very important—is the beef stock,” he says.
“Once you get that right, it's really easy to make. It's so aromatic.”
It’s warm, hearty and profound—perfect for a rainy day.
You’ll need about 400 grams of onion, a couple of garlic cloves and a bundle of thyme. You’ll also add thyme, butter, flour, beef stock and a handful of stringy mozzarella.
Pro tip: Let the onions brown slowly, stir in the stock and add salt and pepper to taste until all the components melt together. Ladle it into bowls with toasted baguette slices.
See the full prep here.
The name alone sounds like aria—and that’s fitting. This indulgent steak dish, filet mignon at its core, was named after 19th-century composer Gioachino Rossini, and it’s as dramatic as it sounds.
“I did a lot of trial and error making this dish,” says home cook Okky Ferdian, who presented his own take on the classic.
“I conducted a lot of research. Each part of the dish is relatively simple but putting it all together in a row is tricky.”
Okky’s plate stacked six layers: potato purée, a medium-well filet mignon, sautéed asparagus, a slice of toasted baguette, pan-seared foie gras and finally, a velvet périgueux sauce.
Rich, elegant and unapologetically French, it earned Okky third place—and possibly a standing ovation at your next dinner party.
For a step-by-step guide, click here.
Created in 1910 by patissier Louis Durand to honor the Paris-Brest-Paris bicycle race, this wheel-shaped choux pastry is the epitome of nostalgia and indulgence.
Filled with praline cream, each bite will explode in your mouth. Contestant Andriy Yusuf baked this airy pastry and he took home second place.
“Getting the dough just right is the hardest part,” he says.
“You have to be really precise with your measurements. But in terms of components and execution, it's very straightforward. You can even find all the ingredients in a minimarket.”
Watching Andriy pipe that cream between perfect pastry rings, I couldn’t help but think, this is what magic looks like in dessert form.
Want to make it? Watch Andriy here.
