40 years ago, I left with a six

For the past seven years, chef Didier Durand has been organizing excursions in Périgord for Americans who love French cuisine. Born in Bergerac, he offers his visitors an immersion into the local heritage. And it works. “You can feel a deeply rooted culture,” enthuses Barbara. “The people are passionate and very kind, far from the clichés of the snobby French.”

At a time when relations between France and Trump’s America seem to be summed up by chest-thumping and tariff rights, “Chef Didier” builds bridges between the two countries. A unique project from his unconventional life path.

Defender of foie gras Born in 1961 in Bergerac and trained at the local hotel school, Didier Durand packed his bags at 25 to live the American dream. “I trained under Michelin-starred chef Michel Guérard in Eugénie-les-Bains. One day, I showed the kitchens to a couple of restaurant owners from Chicago. They were looking for a chef and offered me the job. I left with a six-month visa. It’s been forty years now.”

On the shores of Lake Michigan, he found love and his calling: to showcase the cuisine of Périgord, taking the name of the most famous French theater character, Cyrano de Bergerac. “In Chicago, I met my wife and we had a daughter. After ten years, I opened my restaurant, Cyrano’s Bistrot, then a guinguette on the riverside, Cyrano’s Café. Now I do catering at markets and private chef services.”

In 2006, he fought alongside the Chicago municipality to defend foie gras, which was banned in the city. “Peta activists had obtained its prohibition. I fought to have the regulation changed, explaining to the officials what foie gras is and its history.” The fight paid off, the law was changed in 2008. But his restaurant suffered several damages, and he received threats from activists.

Gastronomic guide After taking the gastronomy of Périgord to the United States, Didier Durand decided to reverse the journey. Every year, he organizes “tours” to introduce a handful of Americans to the Southwest.

The program includes wine tastings, truffle cultivation initiation, visits to farms, workshops for making pastries and products around foie gras, and of course, many meals “made in Périgord.” With a must-see stop: Fest’Oie, the traditional goose banquet in Sarlat-la-Canéda. This year too, the menu featured 17 dishes, including 11 based on goose.

Chef Didier’s recipe seems to work, and many tourists come back, like Terry, a retired engineer who has already been on four trips. “My wife and I come to France twice a year,” he says. “We appreciate the landscapes, the conviviality, and the French art of living.”

Steve, on the other hand, has become a fan of Bergerac wines, buying several bottles. “Now, I buy a lot of these wines that are easy to drink with excellent value for money. I wish there were more in our stores.”

Coming soon to the Basque Country Didier Durand plans to continue developing his organized travel business. He already has other excursions in his catalog, such as themed tours around Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Champagne wines, or Normandy. “In 2027, I will add a tour of the Basque Country, I’m working on it now.”

For his commitment to promoting Périgord gastronomy, he has earned his titles of nobility. He was appointed ambassador of the Périgueux Pâté Brotherhood in 2023. And on March 27, he will be inducted among the consuls of the Bergerac Vineyard during the spring chapter of this brotherhood dedicated to promoting Bergerac wines.

After forty years of American adventure, “Chef Didier” plans to return to his homeland and his remaining family in Bergerac. “With my wife, we are looking for a house in Dordogne for retirement.”