Marguerite Lavigne

Marguerite Lavigne

French soul, California sun

I grew up in a small village outside Lyon, where my grandmother taught me that the best meals come from respecting your ingredients. After training at Le Cordon Bleu and spending years in Parisian kitchens, I moved to San Francisco and fell in love with California's farmers markets and wine country. Now I cook the food I wish my grandmother could taste—French technique with California abundance, where a perfect roast chicken might come with Meyer lemon and wild fennel instead of tarragon.

Recipes

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Seared Bavette Steak & Heirloom Tomato Salade with Avocado & Warm Shallot Vinaigrette

Seared Bavette Steak & Heirloom Tomato Salade with Avocado & Warm Shallot Vinaigrette

A vibrant Parisian bistro classic given a sun-drenched California twist. Tender, quick-seared bavette steak is sliced thin and layered over juicy heirloom tomatoes, ripe avocado, and wild arugula, all brought together with a warm pan-juice and shallot vinaigrette.

14 minutes4easy
Pan-Seared Day-Boat Scallops with Melted Leeks & Sparkling Wine Pan Sauce

Pan-Seared Day-Boat Scallops with Melted Leeks & Sparkling Wine Pan Sauce

Plump sea scallops seared to golden perfection, resting on a bed of silky melted leeks and bathed in a bright, butter-mounted sparkling wine pan sauce. It brings the breezy sophistication of a coastal French bistro straight to your weeknight table with zero fuss.

20 minutes4medium
Rustic Late-Summer Plum & Lemon-Thyme Danishes

Rustic Late-Summer Plum & Lemon-Thyme Danishes

Flaky, buttery puff pastry cradles a velvety almond frangipane and sweet sliced plums, finished with a warm drizzle of lemon-thyme infused honey. It brings the cozy magic of a Parisian morning bakery right into your sunny California kitchen.

25 minutes6medium
Sunny Apricot & Orange Blossom Oranaise

Sunny Apricot & Orange Blossom Oranaise

A beloved French morning pastry updated with California sun, featuring crisp puff pastry folded over velvety orange blossom frangipane and sweet, jammy summer apricots. Glossy with a warm apricot glaze and sprinkled with toasted almonds, it brings pure Parisian bistro bliss straight to your breakfast table.

25 minutes4medium
Pan-Seared Duck Breast & Fresh Fig Bistro Salade

Pan-Seared Duck Breast & Fresh Fig Bistro Salade

A bright, elegant Parisian-style bistro lunch featuring crispy duck breast, sweet pan-seared Black Mission figs, and jammy eggs. Tossed with peppery wild arugula, creamy avocado, and a crunchy pistachio-shallot vinaigrette.

15 minutes2medium
Blackberry & Meyer Lemon Crème Fraîche Brioche Bressane

Blackberry & Meyer Lemon Crème Fraîche Brioche Bressane

A sun-drenched California twist on the classic Lyonnais morning pastry, these soft, golden brioche rounds are filled with tangy Meyer lemon crème fraîche and plump August blackberries. As they bake, the berries burst into sweet-tart, jammy pools amidst a crunchy crown of demerara sugar.

20 minutes6medium

Stories

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