« Nourishing oneself in a healthier and more
natural way is an expectation and a necessity
that it is now time to implement in haute cuisine.
Exceptional produce expressing their qualities
in simplicity, a technique whose elegance is
to fade into the shadows to better serve them.
This is cooking as I love it most. A cuisine of
naturalness, unfettered, liberated. This very
personal interpretation is now an integral part
of my restaurant at the Plaza Athénée. »
Alain Ducasse
Alain Ducasse has developed his cuisine at the Plaza Athénée basing on a trilogy of
fish, vegetables and cereal, which creates the main part of the menu. This concept
has a specific meaning: to eat healthier and respect the planet in the same time. Such kind of Conscious Consuming and Eating put together.
Chef states: «There is an absolute necessity to go towards a better way of eating, in
harmony with nature, healthier and more environmentally friendly ».
Humble produce at the service of high level gastronomy? has it been possible even 5 years ago? For Alain Ducasse, the challenge is reasonable: « I am convinced that the time has come to give an interpretation of haute cuisine to these modest products. In my opinion, this is not a constraint. It is a world of new flavours that I am offering my clients to explore.»
Humble products. Unpredictable combinations and plates. Exceptional quality of all the ingredients. Atlantic sardines or a squid, – everything comes from sustainable fishing – small
fishing boats by cautious fishermen, aware of sea resources fragility. Moreover, any kind of product, and fish is not an exception, has a seasonality, so Ducasse pays a lot of attention also to it.
The same stringent quality requirements preside over vegetables and cereal
selection. Speaking about the first ones, most of vegetables come from the garden of Château de Versailles.
Ducasse is genius, that’s why his cuisine plays with contrasts and re-creates harmonies. He is able to transform any simple and basic product of alimentation into something new and creative. For instance, buckwheat is not cooked and is used as flour, a condiment and sometimes even in an ice cream.
Actually, we do really go from discovery to discovery: the delicate flavour of black current in Camargue black rice, the slight beetroot flavour in amaranth seeds, the
crunch of flax or sunflower seed, the sweet fragrance of Piolenc melon with the marine flavours of gently smoked blue lobster… and many many other culinary stories told in his plates.
The same approach presides over the work of pastry chef.
Astonishment in this Natural cuisine comes from textures and consistencies, including some rarely integrated in French haute cuisine such as sticky. Rice is sometimes mixed with grated cassava, achieving that very special effect. Toasted grain cakes add a crisp, light touch.
It goes without saying that the technical base of French haute cuisine remains, with all its expertise and absolutely precise detailing for vegetable preparation, cooking and seasoning.
After having studied the ABC of the Natural cuisine Ducasse offers, have a sit in one of the tables and be ready to be amazed.
Here comes Denis Courtiade, – the restaurant manager, already been waiting for you in the restaurant. The client is thus welcomed with particular attention.
While waiting for your glass of champagne as an aperitif, pay attention to the Treasure Cabinet. During the day time, nothing would suggest that the great panels at the back of
the restaurant harbour treasures. When the night comes, the panels fade, the cabinet
lights up and the guests eyes widen with surprise. A symphony of silver, crystal, copper, of cooking tools is displayed. Pieces on loan from the Christofle Museum and crystal ware from Saint-Louis, added to these is a selection of magnificent brass from Alain Ducasse’s personal collection. Some objects are ancient, others more contemporary.
When the menu come to you, do not hesitate to be led by your heart and intuition and choose the menu GARDEN ~ MARINE and be ready to go deep inside the world of taste. Different from you expect, fresh, sophisticated and always natural.
The team of the kitchen will do their best in order to impress you, I bet.
Mainly I speak about Romain Meder , Executive Chef, originally from Franche-Comté. Having had enough important experience, Ducasse notices him and calls him to his side at the Plaza Athénée, first as chef-de-partie and then as sous-chef. He later is named chef at La Cour Jardin. After Meder works as well for Spoon des Iles in Mauritius and in Doha,IDAM restaurant, same for Ducasse.
Since the beginning of 2014, Romain has moved to Paris where, together with his
team, he is preparing the reopening of the new restaurant Alain Ducasse au Plaza
Athénée with great care, becoming the new Executive Chef, and all this under 36
years old.
The team of Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée is also composed by Jessica Prealpato , Head Pastry Chef; Gerard Margeon , Executive Head Sommelier; Laurent Roucayrol, Head Sommelier.
LA NATURALITÉ.
Free, fundamental, Alain Ducasse’s natural cuisine is first and foremost
sensual, delicious, alive and contemporary.
alineborghese.com 