When Geoffroy Raby the owner and chef at Cuisinett in San Carlos heard that “Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table” by travel and culinary author Carole Bumpus hit the best-seller list, he wasn’t surprised.

Carole writes about the real France, its history, its people and of course its food. And, believe it or not, despite its fancy reputation, French food is actually very basic. This is something Raby knows and believes in very strongly. "French cooking is very simple and always uses the freshest of ingredients," he told this reporter four years ago. That was after Carole had published her historical novel with a culinary undercurrent, “A Cup of Redemption” followed by her companion cookbook, Recipes for Redemption.

Raby, much to the author’s delight, prepared one of the recipes mentioned in that book. He identified immediately with what Bumpus had conveyed into writing. This was because the dish he prepared described in that book, was mussels cooked in apple cider. And, as Raby noted, “a dish like mussels would be something people in my hometown of Lille would serve.” Regardless of the fancy words we hear in our ears, French food is indeed very simple. "What we serve here at Cuisinett is what people at home in France would serve to their families," said Raby. And, since opening eight years ago in 2011, Raby and his crew at Cuisinett have become ‘the bistro’ for San Carlos.

Located just off El Camino Real, at the heart of downtown, Cuisinett is down-to-earth, easy to reach and always welcoming, just like being at home, especially with good food. Raby describes it as “French comfort food,” simple but hearty, because of this honest simplicity customers keep returning again and again. As featured in the San Mateo Daily Journal, Cuisinett is garnering a following. No doubt this is an ideal spot for Carole to read from her book.

Cuisinett will be hosting an ‘amuse bouche’ and a reading on Wednesday Oct. 9 at 2 p.m. And if you were wondering what is an amuse bouche? It is not an hors d'œuvres or an appetizer before a meal. Instead, it is usually something special that a chef serves to guests and in this case, it comes from one of the recipes in Carole’s book.

Having tasted chef Raby’s delicious food myself, I am guessing it might be something like Cuisinett’s Brie with walnut and pear on a baguette? Still, I was able to catch up with him amid a busy schedule as he said. “We are going to prepare two ‘amuse bouche.’ Toast Parisien and Toast de Brie. I'll have few platters ready for Carole.”

No doubt chef Geoffroy Raby knows how to please. Even his vegetarian Ratatouille with a Parmesan crumble never disappoints. But, again, it is supposed to have an element of surprise as it comes from the author’s newest cookbook.  

Located at 1105 San Carlos Ave just off El Camino, chef Raby’s ‘amuse bouche’ will begin serving at 2pm and Carole’s reading and signing of “Searching for Family and Traditions at the French Table” will follow.

For more information call Cuisinett at 650-453-3390.

- article by Jonathan Farrell, photos courtesy of Cuisinett Bistro, San Carlos, CA