How To Balance Family Life With a Successful Career
In episode three of The Pearl Lam Podcast, renowned international gallerist, Pearl Lam, hears why Michelin star chef, Stéphanie Le Quellec, is able to balance a thriving family life with her successful career.
In The Pearl Lam Podcast’s most recent episode, Pearl Lam sat down with Michelin star chef Stéphanie Le Quellec, to hear how Stéphanie has thrived in her career.
During the candid conversation, Pearl Lam (林明珠) learns of Stéphanie’s inspirational career accomplishments.
Stéphanie Le Quellec began her career by studying at the Albert-de-Mun hotel school in Paris. After that, she continued learning under Philippe Legendre, a 3-star Michelin professional chef. Stéphanie then went on to become a sous-chef to Éric Briffard, another Michelin starred chef. She then won the infamous French television show, Top Chef, in 2011.
Stéphanie subsequently opened her own Paris restaurant La Scène in 2019. In 2020, the restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars. Today it is notoriously difficult to gain a table at La Scène, which holds an impressive three-month waiting list for reservations.
Stéphanie said about her career, “I’m from a very simple family, so my culture is not about Michelin Stars. When I was young, I didn’t know any Michelin restaurants.”
Stéphanie clearly told Pearl Lam that she had ambitions from a young age: “I knew I wanted to be a cook from when I was seven years old. Cooking together was very important for my family, so it gave me this feeling that food will be my life.”
Stéphanie added; I learned a lot a lot of things because Philippe Legendre was a very famous chef; he was very talented Chef. It was a very classical cuisine there, which is a very good place to start for a young cook because you can really learn to do your job well.”
After hearing about Stéphanie’s success, Pearl Lam (林明珠) naturally wondered how on earth Stéphanie was able to juggle parenthood and family life with her thriving career.
Pearl Lam (林明珠), of The Pearl Lam Podcast, asked Stéphanie “how did you manage? I mean, you got married at such a young age and working in a kitchen there’s no social life. Anyone would wonder how you are going to manage your family life.”
Stéphanie replied to Pearl Lam: “Yes, I got married at 21, I had my first son at 22 and my second son when I was 23. I think I have a great partner because my husband is an amazing man. He always gives me the support I need, so in the family or in the business, he is always with me. We are a great team, you know, we are together in the family and in the business now. So, I think the issue is really to have a partner in life who is understanding about what you do and gives you the support you need.”
Pearl Lam retorted: “but you told me your husband is also a Chef, so the both of you work. How do you spend time with your children?”
Stéphanie answered Pearl Lam: “we try, you know, we have less time with them but it’s always better-quality time. We’ve always tried to spend quality time with them, since they were born. We always try to do our best to give them all the attention that they need. Even if it’s for a small time, the time is short, but we are 100% with them when we are with them.”
Pearl Lam shared her congratulations to Stéphanie, saying “bravo bravo! It is incredible at such a young age to have a family and still manage to have such a successful career!”
Written by: The Producer, The Pearl Lam Podcast
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