Julia Sedefdjian, who became France's youngest Michelin-starred female chef at just 21 years old, brings Mediterranean flavors to Paris through her restaurant Baieta, blending tradition with creativity. Alongside her, culinary photographer Franck Hamel reveals the behind-the-scenes world of food photography that floods social media platforms today.

Between services at her Parisian restaurant Baieta, Julia Sedefdjian shared insights into her culinary journey and philosophy. Her cooking explodes with flavors inspired by Armenia and Sicily, combined with memories from her childhood in Nice that she brought with her to Paris. Her menu features extensively slow-cooked vegetables and flavorful fish dishes, including her reinvented bouillabaisse, which holds special significance for her. "I could never bring myself to remove it from the menu," she explained during the interview.

Sedefdjian discussed her inspirations, the complex flavors she creates, and the responsibility of being a chef in the demanding world of haute cuisine. She provided detailed insights into her career path and described the daily operations of running a high-end restaurant brigade. Her approach combines respect for Mediterranean traditions with innovative techniques that have earned her recognition in Paris's competitive culinary scene.

Franck Hamel, a former foreign correspondent turned food photographer, has made a career out of what many people now do casually at restaurants. As social media has transformed everyone into amateur food photographers, Hamel stands out as a professional who entered the field when cookbook sales exploded and demand for quality food photography increased dramatically.

Hamel has retained his reporter's appreciation for natural light from his previous career, using it to capture the raw essence of ingredients and finished dishes. His photographs will be featured at the upcoming International Culinary Photography Festival in Paris this October, showcasing his distinctive style that emphasizes the natural beauty of food.

The guests also shared their cultural recommendations during the program. Sedefdjian highlighted chef Fanny Herpin as someone to follow and identified anchovies as the most underestimated ingredient in cooking that she absolutely loves. Hamel recommended portrait photographer Stéphane Labrunie as a non-culinary photographer who continues to surprise him, and suggested following François-Régis Gaudry's food account on social media for quality culinary content.