法国人Gil，他会说六个国家的语言,他在亚洲做过20年的记者。现在, 一半的时间，他待在家里招待朋友和客人；另一半的时间，他一边旅行一边享受美食。
2014年，他搬到了云南大理的一个小村子，在这里，他开了一家菜馆，很多人知道了他做的菜很好吃，就来到村子里吃他做的菜。
2013年，他来到大理旅行，租了一辆自行车，偶然找到了这个小村子。很少的人住在这里，很多房子都是空着的，而且这些房子大多数都是100多年历史的石头老房子。村子的背后就是苍山，很像他在法国阿尔卑斯山脚下的老家。从2014年到现在，他在这里一住就是10年。
Gil最早有开一家菜馆的想法，是2011年在北京的时候。那时候，他经常坐飞机出差，他觉得非常累。他写了很多新闻报道，很多都是很沉重的故事，他变得有点儿沮丧，他很想暂停一下、休息一下。朋友说：“你那么喜欢做饭，为什么不尝试开一家菜馆呢？”他就试试做菜了。搬到大理后，他一边继续做菜，一边不停地写作。
Gil住的村子是一个很美的白族村子，他租的是一个白族百年老院子，屋子外面还有一亩地可以种菜。大理的阳光很好，平常他会在早上喝点儿茶、吃点儿东西，看看书，有时候也会写点儿文章，然后就去菜市场买菜。
他的菜馆没有菜单，客人需要预订。他接待客人一周不超过两次，每次至少八位客人。不认识的人一起拼桌，这样大家可以互相认识，Gil会陪客人们一起聊天。去他家吃饭的大多数都是游客，或者移民来到大理的艺术家、手艺人、作家，也有本地人。
Gil说：“我去过世界上很多大城市，但总觉得这些地方像是十字路口，人来人走，没有根。但这个村子像一个宁静的岛，可以过一种有根的生活。”
他会做法国菜，因为他在那里长大。他也做西班牙菜，因为他的爷爷是西班牙人，他也在西班牙生活过。现在，他的菜有了很重的云南味道。Gil说：“我不是厨师，我是作家。我做饭的时候，我是在用食物讲故事。”
Gil不喜欢没有变化的工作与生活，他一直找新的灵感。从2018年开始，很多朋友邀请他去全国各地旅行，这个经历让他接触到了很多有意思的人和事。
The Frenchman Gil speaks six languages and has worked as a journalist in Asia for 20 years. Nowadays, he spends half of his time at home entertaining friends and guests, while the other half is spent traveling and enjoying good food.
In 2014, he moved to a small village in Dali, Yunnan, and opened a restaurant there. Many people learned about his delicious cooking and came to the village to eat his food.
In 2013, he traveled to Dali, rented a bicycle, and stumbled upon this small village. Few people lived there, and many houses were empty and mostly old stone houses with a history of over 100 years. The village is backed by Cangshan Mountain, which resembles his hometown at the foot of the French Alps. Since 2014, he has lived there for ten years.
Gil first had the idea to open a restaurant in 2011 while in Beijing. At that time, he often traveled by plane for work and felt very tired. He wrote many news reports, many of which were heavy stories that left him feeling somewhat depressed. He wanted to take a break and rest. A friend said, “You love cooking so much, why not try opening a restaurant?” So, he tried cooking. After moving to Dali, he continued to cook while also writing.
Gil lives in a beautiful Bai village and rents a century-old Bai-style courtyard house. There is an acre of land outside where he can grow vegetables. The sunlight in Dali is excellent, and he usually drinks some tea and has something to eat in the morning, reads books, and sometimes writes a little, then goes to the market to buy ingredients.
His restaurant has no menu, and guests need to make reservations. He hosts guests no more than twice a week, with at least eight guests each time. Unfamiliar guests share a table, allowing them to get to know each other, and Gil joins them in conversation. Most of the guests are tourists, or artists, artisans, and writers who have immigrated to Dali, as well as locals.
Gil said, “I’ve been to many big cities around the world, but always felt these places were like intersections, with people coming and going and no roots. But this village is like a peaceful island where you can live a rooted life.”
He cooks French food because he grew up there. He also makes Spanish food because his grandfather was Spanish and he lived in Spain. Now, his food has taken on strong Yunnan flavors.Gil said, “I’m not a chef, I’m a writer. When I cook, I tell stories with food.”
Gil does not like routine work and life, and he is always seeking new inspiration. Since 2018, many friends have invited him to travel all over the country. This experience has introduced him to many interesting people and things.
