Provence is known for its seasonal produce, its slow lunches beneath a pergola, and its effortless sense of refinement. For travellers staying in a luxury villa with a private chef, food becomes part of the holiday rhythm.
This week, we meet Julie of Barigoule Kitchen, a private chef based in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence whose colourful Provençal cooking is shaped by a career spent between New York, Barcelona, and the French countryside. Julie brings a fresh, contemporary approach to Provençal cuisine, blending local produce with touches of world cooking. Her dishes are bright, generous, and deeply connected to the traditions of Provence. For guests searching for a private chef in Provence, luxury dining in Provence, or seasonal Provençal recipes, her table offers exactly what people hope to experience when they choose a villa holiday in the south of France.
A culinary journey from Provence to New York and back again
Julie’s culinary path began long before she worked professionally. Initially trained in art history, she cooked for pleasure, taking classes in Thai, Japanese, Cajun, and sauce-making. A later move to New York shifted everything. Serendipity led her to open Fanny, a Provençal bistro in Williamsburg. There she developed menus inspired by Provence yet adapted to the tastes of the city. When her chef left, she stepped fully into the kitchen, gaining the hands-on training that shaped her style.
After selling the restaurant, she became a private chef in New York, where global ingredients and diverse influences enriched her cooking. She later moved to Barcelona and opened a New York-style café, integrating Catalan classics into her offering. These experiences taught her that cooking is not only technique; it is a way of understanding people, places, and culture.
Today, her work in Provence reflects that blend. Her recipes respect local produce and traditional flavours while keeping a modern, international sensibility.
Dining with a private chef in Provence
When Julie cooks for guests staying in their Provence villa, she begins with a relaxed Provençal aperitif. She prepares several small plates based on the chosen menu and uses this moment to introduce herself, talk about local vineyards, and understand the group’s preferences. She likes asking where guests have eaten during their holiday in Provence to ensure she offers something new and tailored.
Her dinners feature a plated starter followed by a family-style main course, reflecting the conviviality of life in Provence. Desserts are adapted to the occasion, whether a celebration cake or a plated dessert decorated with flowers, herbs, or olive branches collected nearby.
Julie does not offer formal cooking classes, but many guests enjoy sitting in the kitchen while she cooks. She often explains her choice of ingredients, the provenance of local produce, and how traditional Provençal dishes are built. Although she does not organise market visits, she enjoys recommending her favourite villages, vineyards, and restaurants across Provence, the Alpilles, the Camargue, and Marseille.
Cooking with Provence as the inspiration
Julie follows the seasons closely. In summer, she turns to artichokes and zucchini blossoms. These ingredients can be served raw or cooked, paired with fish or grilled meats, and styled into the colourful plates that define her cuisine. As winter arrives in Provence, she leans towards Jerusalem artichokes and local squash, prized for their delicate sweetness.
Her work is shaped by her time abroad, but Provence remains at the centre of everything she creates. She describes it as a homecoming after years of travelling. Returning to the Alpilles, she immersed herself in JB Reboul’s La Cuisine Provençale and asked locals for their favourite seasonal recipes. Provence’s traditions, festivals, and harvest cycles continue to guide her menus today.
Julie's favourite Provencal dish
Julie’s recommendations reflect the diversity of southern France. She loves Marseille for its Provençal authenticity and its global influences, with spice shops and markets filled with ingredients from around the world. She points to Sète in Occitanie for its fish, canals, and covered market. For guests exploring Provence, she enjoys highlighting how flavours shift between the sea and the Alpilles.
If she had to choose one dish to introduce someone to the cuisine of Provence, it would be stuffed squid. Made with either chorizo or a Provençal bohemian stuffing, and served with grilled red onions and black olives, it captures the region’s simplicity and depth.
“Provence inspires me with its colours and traditions. A table under a pergola, seasonal vegetables, herbs, and shellfish in all their forms. My goal is simple: to create a lovely holiday memory for my clients.”
Recipe: Escabeche with Petits Violets artichokes
This escabeche is Julie’s tribute to Petits Violets, the small purple artichokes that appear across Provence each spring. The dish works well as a relaxed starter or as part of a long lunch outdoors, and it highlights the freshness of Provençal produce with simple, precise preparation.
Ingredients
- A selection of shellfish (such as shrimp, tellines, whelks, mussels, or clams)
- Petits Violets artichokes
- Equal parts water and mild vinegar
- Lemon zest
- Orange zest
- Star anise or wild anise
- Coriander seeds
- Fennel seeds
- Olive oil
- Mustard seed jam
- Fresh herbs (such as chervil, parsley, or chives)
Method
Begin by preparing the marinade. Combine equal parts water and mild vinegar in a saucepan and warm gently. As soon as it reaches a light simmer, remove from the heat. Add a large strip of lemon zest, a strip of orange zest, star anise, coriander seeds, and fennel seeds. Place your chosen shellfish into the warm mixture, add a generous spoonful of olive oil, and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavours to develop.
Next, prepare the Petits Violets. Peel away the outer leaves to reveal the tender heart, then boil briefly until just cooked. Once drained, place the hearts into a little olive oil and allow them to confit gently.
When all ingredients are cold, assemble the escabeche. Spread the artichoke hearts across a serving dish, arrange the shellfish on top, and spoon over some of the marinade. Finish with a little mustard seed jam and a scattering of fresh herbs.
This dish is simple, seasonal, and full of Provençal character. It pairs well with a chilled white wine from Cassis or a light rosé from the Alpilles and suits both relaxed lunches and elegant villa dinners.
Julie’s approach to Provençal cuisine reflects everything that makes dining in Provence so distinctive. Colourful produce, seasonal rhythms, and a table that encourages conversation all come together in her cooking. For guests staying in a luxury villa, chefs like Julie bring the region to life through flavour, tradition, and a thoughtful understanding of what people hope to experience when they travel here. It is this blend of expertise and generosity that turns a meal into part of the holiday itself.
À bientôt,
The Provence Holidays Team
