Flavor of Oklahoma: Chef behind Edmond's Fait Maison nominated for James Beard Award

After finding himself in Edmond, Oklahoma, a French chef is now nominated for a major culinary award.

Chef Olivier Bouzerand says his restaurant, Fait Maison, takes pride in its made-from-scratch menu. The restaurant's name, meaning "homemade" in English, is a testament to Bouzerand's commitment.

"I am from France, Burgundy, and I came here in 2017," Bouzerand said. "[In France] restaurants were required to write what was homemade on the menus and what was not, so that was on my menu everywhere and we looked at it and said, well, that would work here because we're going to make everything anyway."

Located along East 5th Street and South Boulevard, Bouzerand says Fait Maison came to be after he fell in love.

"I met a woman and we [are] married now," Bouzerand said. "That's the reason."

The pair met while playing video games online, and Bouzerand said his now-wife was the reason he decided to learn English.

Bouzerand does things his way at his restaurant, but to him, one of the most important things guests do is take their time.

"The biggest tradition is we take time to eat," Bouzerand said. "Dinner here probably lasts three to four hours. It's like a moment that you spend with the people that are here. You don't just eat fast and move on to something else."

Olivier said he has been cooking since he was six, after learning from his mother and grandmother.

Now the owner of his restaurant, Bouzerand said he makes his own butter and bread and loves sharing his culture with Oklahoma.

When Oklahomans think of French cuisine, oftentimes they imagine onion soup, escargot, and French fries. However, Bouzerand said he wanted to steer away from the cliché.

"[French cuisine] is more like natural meat and fish, very local, a lot of sauces," Bouzerand said. "I think the main difference between French cuisine and the others is there is always a sauce to bind all the ingredients together."

Sourcing most of his ingredients from France, and changing the menu every few months, Bouzerand says every dish comes with three plates of different preparations.

Both fast and meticulate, to Bouzerand, every detail matters, and everything is in order and has its proper place.

Although, Bouzerand says he is most proud of the opportunity to promote the French culinary culture. It was his dedication to that end that caught the attention of the James Bear Awards.

Now a semifinalist in the "Best Chef Southwest" category, Bouzerand said he can not help but feel even more proud of his work.

"I didn't know anything about it until I was named ... Actually, friends messaged me first before and said 'congratulations,' and then we received an e-mail from the academy and the foundation," Bouzerand said.