AT THE PIED DE COCHON: IN THE HEART OF ONE OF PARIS’ MYTHIC BRASSERIES | M6 | 66 minutes

Nestling in the heart of the Les Halles district, Le Pied de Cochon is one of the capital’s mythic addresses. For over 70 years, its four floors have been welcoming the whole of Paris, both the famous and the obscure, and also foreign tourists, who came to discover the great classics of French cuisine: kidneys, veal liver, marrow bone and, of course, the emblematic pig’s trotter (chosen by one customer in five). At night, another specialty¾onion soup¾is on the menu for night owls. Because the Pied de Cochon is one of the rare Paris brasseries that stays open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To keep this prestigious spot running, a team of one hundred is hard at work. The organization is meticulous. In the morning, the supplies have to be managed. They get through a ton of seafood and 200 pigs’ feet every day. At noon, it’s action stations. Then around 4pm there’s the big clean up before the arrival of the night team. After the terrorist attacks of 2015 and the drop in foreign customers, the Pied de Cochon was forced to revive itself by hiring a new chef. He has brought a touch of fantasy to a menu that had long been frozen in time. Shoulder of lamb, baked cod, pasta shells with ham and crisp pork belly have made an appearance. The aim: to attract a more local clientele. In the coming days, the chef will be trying out his Spring menu.