Maître Phillipe

Whereas most countries have tawdry televised MasterChef competitions, in France the title of ‘Maître’ really means something and can be applied to many culinary arts, from roasting meats to storing cheese. The chef-proprietor, Phillipe, along with his daughter Anaïs, make this a family affair, selecting only the best cheeses France has to offer, as well as a few from further afield. For a dairy-loving country, Berlin is lacking in its cheese availability, most of it the industrial and pre-sliced variety. Here there’s a wealth of cheesy goodness, of all three major milk varietals, like nutty Ardi Grasna sheep’s cheese, crinkly-skinned Chavignol goat’s cheeses or dense aged Comté from cow’s milk. These are all sourced from small producers, usually farming collectives working under EU-controlled AOP certification, using traditional methods that respect their local environment and terroir. Most importantly, they take real care with delivery and storage, as goat’s milk cheeses are particularly prone to spoilage. High-grade tinned fish, charcuterie and wines are also stocked.