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French Seafood, the Tour de France TV Show & Paul Bocuse with Gabriel Gaté — Part 2
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French seafood, the iconic Tour de France television show, and the legends of French cuisine take centre stage in this second part of Fabulously Delicious with celebrated French chef and Australian TV icon Gabriel Gaté. In this episode Gabriel reveals how he created and produced his beloved SBS gourmet segment following the Tour de France for fifteen years — travelling region by region across France each summer, showcasing the best local producers, patissiers, cheesemakers, and market stalls along the way.
Gabriel shares unforgettable moments from the show, including a magical visit to an Alpine farm at two thousand metres where two cheesemakers hand-milked their goats and made cheese unlike anything he had ever tasted, and a deeply moving encounter with the legendary Michel Guérard — pioneer of nouvelle cuisine — still running his three-Michelin-star kitchen at eighty-five years old. He also opens up about working with Bert Newton on television for fifteen years, his own Tour de Frankston comedy special for the ABC, and being awarded the prestigious Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole on Bastille Day in recognition of his contribution to French gastronomy.
The conversation then turns to Gabriel's great passion — French seafood. He shares his deep knowledge of the French poissonnier tradition, the art of poaching fish, coquilles Saint-Jacques, and what it was like to arrive in Australia in the late 1970s when the seafood culture was still largely built around fish fingers and fish and chips. Gabriel talks honestly about how he set about changing Australian attitudes to fresh fish — one dinner party at a time.
Gabriel also discusses the sea bass in puff pastry — Paul Bocuse's great showpiece dish — his own new cookbook tracing the recipes of his life and career, and what he hopes to do next. This is a warm, generous, and deeply knowledgeable conversation with one of the most beloved figures in Australian food history.
My book Paris: A Fabulous Food Guide to the World’s Most Delicious City is your ultimate companion. This is a new 2026 update for the book and you’ll find hand-picked recommendations for the best boulangeries, patisseries, wine bars, cafés, and restaurants that truly capture the flavor of Paris. You can order it online at andrewpriorfabulously.com
For those who want to take things further, why not come cook with me here in Montmorillon, in the heart of France’s Vienne region? Combine hands-on French cooking classes with exploring charming markets, tasting regional specialties, and soaking up the slow, beautiful pace of French countryside life. Find all the details at andrewpriorfabulously.com
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