Carême stars trained under chef who 'ran his kitchen with an iron fist' for two months

Carême's devoted stars took on a gruelling two months of culinary training to prepare for Apple TV+'s new gripping gastro drama.

Turning back the clocks to 19th Century Paris, French star Benjamin Voisin takes on the role of Antonin Carême, a rebellious cooking prodigy who's coerced into cooking for Napoleon Bonaparte (played by Frank Molinaro).

Once immersed in the lavish kitchen of Tuileries Palace, he strikes up a partnership with accomplished chef Agathe (Alice Da Luz) and quickly makes a name for himself, becoming one of the world's first celebrity chefs thanks to his unruly reputation.

Speaking exclusively to Express Online, when asked about the most difficult aspect of the series, Voisin confirmed: "For me it was cooking!

"I spent two months in a school of cuisine, the Ferrandi School, it's a hospitality school where you learn about all the trades."

Not only did Voisin and Da Luz have to learn the art of cooking, they also trained under one of the school's top chefs to discover how to run a tight ship in a demanding and rowdy kitchen.

"I worked separately with a chef and he introduced me to his team," the actor continued.

"I was able to learn the body language, all the antics of cooking and then I could see how he ran his team, sometimes with an iron fist, but also sometimes very benevolent.

"That was really exciting. That's what I really had to learn and re-train and see Carême's legacy through this 60-year-old chef, and see that Carême himself, throughout the series, learns to become a chef himself and learns how to go from A to B."

Thankfully, Voisin didn't have to experience his culinary journey alone, as Da Luz joined him to ensure her kitchen craft matched and even surpassed the skills of her high-flying partner.

"It was really incredible to spend so much time in such prestigious kitchens," she shared.

"We would go very early in the morning, take lessons, and then we would go back in the evening and serve dishes with the students who were studying in Ferrandi."

For those two months, Da Luz maintained "there was no difference between us and the students", as their training was just as intensive as Ferrandi's future restaurateurs.

"We were just like any other student in that school, we had to do things seriously," she said.

Da Luz also highlighted the skills beyond the preparation and cooking of ingredients, such as communicating across the kitchen and making sure each station is running smoothly.

"What was interesting was also to be able to actually work on this choreography," she went on.

"This dance that goes on in the kitchen when everything is a rush and this is something we tried to work on with Benjamin.

"We had to work on non-verbal communication, how to manage stress in a kitchen and all these unsaid, untold messages. [It was] very intimate."

Foodies and history buffs alike - make sure Carême is on your radar this streaming season.

Carême continues Wednesdays on Apple TV+.