Following the seasons is incredibly important to Claude, and during autumn and winter it’s his fallow deer dish which really encapsulates his approach to cooking. He combines the loin of the deer with the flavours of seasonal pumpkin and a classical sauce, which is where the idea for the dish originated. ‘I took a classic recipe – in this case, a grand veneur sauce – and thought about what it goes with, which is traditionally game and especially venison,’ he explains. ‘Venison also goes with dark chocolate, so I finished the sauce with that. I then try and think about the reasons why I like these flavours; I love the warmth and smokiness of game and autumn dishes, so I smoked the chocolate for the sauce, too, and added some pumpkin to keep it seasonal.’

There was something missing from the dish, however – Claude always tries to include some acidity in his recipes, to lift the flavour and balance everything out. He found the solution in a slightly unusual fruit. ‘In autumn you start getting access to the best passion fruit, so I tried that and it worked,’ he tells us. ‘I’m a big believer that if things grow at the same time of year then there is a way to make them match. Sometimes they don’t, but most of the time if a dish is balanced properly then they will work together.’

Of course, Claude’s incredible skill in the kitchen and using techniques such as cold-smoking and sous vide is what makes this a Michelin-starred dish. There’s a stroke of genius in the pomme soufflé, which sits on top of the venison; a thin slice of potato fried in oil at two different temperatures until it puffs up like a balloon. But the general idea behind Claude’s dishes – put ingredients together which are at their best at the same time of year – is enviously simple.

Fancy cooking Claude’s venison dish at home? Click the recipe below.