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Alain Petitbon, Hideout Golf Club

Alain Petitbon, the chef du cuisine of Hideout Golf Club, is one of eight semifinalists in a dessert-making competition sponsored by food supplier Entegra.

The contest is being held today and Thursday at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. Chef Petitbon is creating Banane Royale: fried granola-coated bananas on chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream with hot ganache.

Name: Alain Petitbon

Hometown: Hesdin, France. It is about 150 miles north of Paris.

When did you come to Naples? Fours years ago. I came to the United States in 1973 to Fort Lauderdale. I worked at the Downender and Le Cordon Bleu.

When did you get the title of chef? I became the sous chef of the Intercontinental Hotel in Santo Domingo when I was 24.

Where do you get your inspiration? My mother was a teacher and my father was government worker, so I was left in the care of a nanny. She gave me pots and pans to play with and let me cut carrots for my soup when I was 3. I knew when I was 7 that I wanted to cook. I went to college for two years and to Thonon Les Bains to become a chef.

Who are your idols? Definitely Escoffier. He is the master.

Alain Petitbon

What do you like to cook? Sauces of all kinds.

What is your cooking philosophy? Eat with your taste, not your eyes. Food should be attractive, but not a sculpture or pyramid. There shouldn’t be too many things on the plate.

What ingredients should every cook have? Fresh and dried herbs. Especially thyme and bay leaf. You should also have olive oil and butter to cook with.

Can you share a cooking hint? Only cook if you enjoy it. If you do not like to cook, buy take-out, eat in restaurants or buy prepared foods. If you enjoy cooking you will get better as you cook and find ways to make it easier. If you do not enjoy cooking your food will not be good. It will feel the unhappiness.

What is your favorite indulgence? Junior Whoppers from Burger King, and fries from McDonald’s.

What would people be surprised to learn about you? I have a new hobby. I love ballroom dancing. I have been doing it seriously for one year and am getting very good.

Here is Chef Petitbon’s recipe for Banane Royale:

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas

2 cups granola

2 ounces sweet butter, melted

16 ounces vanilla ice cream

4 ounces chocolate chip cookie dough

4 ounces liquid white chocolate

8 ounces frozen strawberries in syrup

12 medium size fresh strawberries

4 spring fresh mint

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

8 ounces heavy cream

1 teaspoon dark Jamaican rum

1 teaspoon French cognac

1 quart peanut oil

4 orchid blooms (to decorate the plates)

Preparation

Soften ice cream slightly.

Cut cookie dough into small pieces and fold into the softened ice cream.

Shape ice cream into a cylinder that is two inches in diameter and wrap with parchment paper. Reserve in freezer.

Prepare coulis by pushing the thawed frozen strawberries through a fine strainer and reserve in the refrigerator.

Cut bananas in half lengthwise and sideways. (You now have a total of eight pieces.)

Chop granola to semi-fine. Brush banana quarters with butter and roll in granola. Reserve in refrigerator.

Prepare ganache by heating heavy cream and stir in bittersweet chocolate until smooth. Add liquors and reserve.

Fry coated bananas in the peanut oil to a golden brown. Place on paper towel to drain.

Slice fresh strawberries and fan.

Rim each plate with the liquid white chocolate and drop three spots of coulis at 12, 4 and 8 o’clock on plate.

Use toothpick and trace a circle around the middle of the white chocolate and transform the coulis spots into a heart.

Place a fanned strawberry next to each heart.

Divide ice cream cylinder into four slices and place a slice in the middle of each plate.

Arrange two slices of fried bananas on top of the ice cream.

Pour ganache delicately on top of the bananas.

Decorate four plates with an orchid bloom and sprig of mint on top of bananas.

Serve immediately.

Hideout Golf Club is a private club located at 3025 Brantley Blvd., Naples, 352-4141.