The five places that made me: Gabriel Gate

LA ROCHELLE, FRENCH ATLANTIC COAST

The beautiful coastal town of La Rochelle was one of my late mother's favourite holiday destinations. When she was in her 80s we spent a week there over each of several consecutive years, just the two of us. It was a very special time, sharing our stories, our joys, our pain. As we walked through the old centre on the way to one of our favourite markets in France, we had a lot to tell each other, since she lived in France and I in Australia. Over several seafood lunches in Andre's restaurant and using a small, discreet camera, I filmed her telling me her life story. This footage is so precious to me now.

PARIS

Paris changed my life in many ways. Its beauty and diversity never fail to inspire me. A cruise on the river Seine is one of Paris' most spectacular moments. As a penniless young chef, I worked in two great Parisian restaurants. Alain Senderens, my chef at L'Archestrate, the superb three-Michelin star restaurant, showed me the way to creativity and taught me to be open to new ways and ideas. I had to look after myself and mature quickly (there is still work to do). More importantly, it was in Paris in 1976 that I met Angie, my Australian wife.

AUSTRALIA

I arrived on a six-month fiance visa when I first came to Australia in 1977. Arriving in a foreign country with a new language is a dramatic life change and has been one of the biggest challenges in my life. It can be frustrating not to be understood and not to understand. The consequences of learning a second language are culturally rich and wonderful. More Anglo-Australians should try it. Becoming a dad in Australia enriched my life enormously.

INDIA

I visited South India in the late 90s. I had been invited on a gourmet spice tour, visiting tropical forests in Kerala as well as the cities of Mumbai and Chennai. What an amazing country. It offers a cultural change from Europe and Australia. So many contrasts, a very visible spirituality and a great genuine vegetarian cuisine with endless variety and colour, fantastic flavours and nourishment. How did India change me? It added spice to my life.

ARDECHE REGION, SOUTH-CENTRAL FRANCE

The Caverne du Pont de l'Arc in the stunning Ardeche gorges is an incredible replica of the nearby Chauvet cave which is the oldest known decorated cave in the world. More than 400 stunning individual wild animal paintings from 14 different species were painted on the cave walls 36,000 years ago. Visiting the replica took me back in time. A magic moment.

See Gabriel in Taste Le Tour with Gabriel Gate which airs daily in SBS's coverage of the 2016 Tour de France at 8.30pm – sponsored by Scenic. See sbs.com.au/food/programs/taste-le-tour