It’s hard to get a seat at Bibou and it’s no wonder why. The intimate 32-seat, Bella Vista gem, owned by Chef Pierre Calmels and wife, Charlotte, serves arguably some of the most delicious, inventive and traditional French cuisine in the city.

COOK got up close and personal with the Calmels family on their only night off (Monday, October 3) and got a special peak into the magic they create at Bibou six nights a week.

Pierre arrived hours before his class with a HUGE cooler of his perfectly prepped provisions, including the creamy French butter they import at Bibou which we served that night with the bread he baked at COOK just hours before the class.

Not only were 16 loyalists (everyone in the room had been to Bibou and was a devout Bibou follower and fan) lucky to witness Pierre’s humility and talent in our intimate space but they also got to hear his beautiful wife Charlotte (hostess extraordinaire) introduce him while his adorable little girls walked around handing out special gifts they had made for each guest. (Merci beaucoup, les filles!) After the introductions and some champagne (little girls excluded), off Charlotte and the girls went, “au revoir papa!” and left papa to do his magic.

Pierre’s bio is extraordinary. He trained for over 10 years in France among top Michelin Star rated restaurants. In 1998, he joined Chef Daniel Boulud preparing award-winning contemporary French cuisine in New York City, and then arrived in Philadelphia in 2001 to work at Le Bec-Fin. After 8 years as sous-chef and then executive chef for Chef Perrier, Pierre decided to open Bibou in May 2009. Pierre and the restaurant have been awarded countless top accolades including one of GQ magazine’s top 10 best new restaurants in the country, and number 3 on Philadelphia magazine’s Top-50 restaurant list in 2011. Pierre was also a finalist for the 2010 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region, and was recently announced as a semifinalist for the same category in 2011.

One of the most remarkable chapters in his culinary career his dream of becoming a chef dating back to his childhood. His father was not overly excited about his son’s plans for a life in the kitchen, and hoping to change his mind, he told Pierre that he could certainly become whatever he wanted but first he needed to work in a restaurant to make sure. Starting at age 14 (14!!!), young Pierre spent his summers slaving in local kitchens as a dishwasher and prep cook. His father (probably hoping his son was worn down) after a year asked Pierre if he was still certain he wanted to be a chef. His response: “absolument“.

He still has that steady determination as he told us while preparing his fish course: rouget stuffed with olive tapenade and black garlic and wrapped in dough. For, while no one orders his perfect, little, individual rougets off his menu at Bibou, he continues to make them because he just loves them. (Hint: next time you’re at Bibou, order it. It was delectable!) He wowed us with more:  a cauliflower and parmesan soup to start, quail stuffed with foie gras and ile flottante for dessert. So good!!!

If you’ve ever eaten Pierre’s food, you know it’s no surprise that in less than an hour from going on sale, his November class sold out too.

Merci, Pierre et Charlotte! Nous vous aimons!

(Ok, that’s all the French I know.)