Chef Ludovic Lefebvre: Ludo Bites America

Chef Ludovic Lefebvre said it plainly: "I was very frustrated with the process of opening a restaurant — the landlord, the city issues, the investors, the polit…" — and Premier Guide Miami was in the room when it happened.

French chef Ludovic Lefebvre — named 'Chef of the Future' by TIME Magazine, a Top Chef Masters contestant, and author of CRAVE, A Feast of the Five Senses — has taken his pop-up restaurant LudoBites on the road across America with his wife and business partner Krissy. Their Sundance Channel series Ludo Bites America premieres Tuesday, July 19 at 9pm ET/PT. Premier Guide Miami caught up with Ludo ahead of the premiere.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: What is Ludo Bites America?

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: Ludo Bites America is about me and Krissy traveling to six cities in America, discovering the local culture and cuisine, and then opening LudoBites in each city for one night with a menu that is inspired by the local food of that city. Six cities, six different menus, six different pop-ups — and a whole lot of drama and fun.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Tell us about the pop-up restaurant concept.

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: LudoBites is our pop-up restaurant, but we really like to call it a 'Touring Restaurant.' We partner up with existing restaurants that typically don't have a dinner service and serve dinner for a set period of time. It is a win-win for both of us and the partner restaurant. We get the benefit of not having a huge capital investment, and the restaurant gets income during a time it would usually be closed.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: The show's description mentions taking independent food on the road. Explain independent food.

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: I do what I want, when I want, and where I want. I don't want some big corporation or a bunch of investors telling me what I have to do. I am doing food the way I want.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Why did you feel the need to take this approach in the food industry?

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: I was very frustrated with the process of opening a restaurant — the landlord, the city issues, the investors, the politics — but I love to cook. This approach allows me to cook and I only have to answer to guests. My only goal is to make the guests happy.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Which destination was the most challenging to get the restaurant open?

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: This is a difficult question to answer — each city had its own set of challenges. Mobile was a problem for ingredients. Santa Fe was a problem with staff. Denver was a problem with equipment. Raleigh had issues with prep space. Omaha had its own special set of issues. And Redondo — well, you will have to watch and see that one.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Which destination did you enjoy the most during your travels?

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: I really loved Raleigh, NC. I could definitely see myself moving there one day. The town was so alive. I really loved the food, the people, and the energy.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Did you discover anything new during this experience that will be part of your cooking in the future?

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: Absolutely. I am going to include some North Carolina BBQ on the LudoBites 007 menu, as well as use red chile. I also learned to make flour tortillas and I am certain they will be used in the future. I have cooked for 26 years but I don't know everything. I learned so much on the road and I am still learning. It is this way you get better as a chef. I love to explore and learn new things.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Your wife is a part of the show — was that a challenge, and how do you balance work and relationship?

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: We both have our jobs. I cook and she does everything else. I don't want her in the kitchen. We have figured out a good balance. The most important thing is that we trust each other, and when we have such an intense job with so much risk, that is what matters most.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: Tell us about your cookbook CRAVE, A Feast of the Five Senses. Are you planning on writing another book based on the Ludo Bites America experience?

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: I am working on the Ludo Bites Cookbook right now. It will be based on the menus from LudoBites 1.0 through 6.0. It will be published next year by ECCO Publishing. It is going to be great. LudoBites 1.0 through 6.0 are the originals and there is so much story about how we got here, so I am very excited for it to come out.

PREMIER GUIDE MIAMI: You are a French native — have you considered making LudoBites an international entity?

CHEF LUDOVIC LEFEBVRE: Ludo Bites the World. Sounds good, doesn't it?

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