French chefs are trendsetters and inspirers of contemporary haute cuisine based on longstanding traditions and exquisite cooking…
The names of Alain Ducasse, Paul Bocuse, Fabrice Desvignes, Pierre Gagnaire have long ago become a legend and a symbol of high style and unmatched skill.
Joel Robuchon is undoubtedly one of the brightest stars of French haute cuisine. Owner of 14 restaurants the world over, he has won numerous awards and prizes, including three Michelin Guide stars. Titled "Chef of the Century" by the guide Gault Millau in 1990, he was made the Légion d'honneur Officier by the French Prime Minister himself in 2003.
Our editors decided to eye-witness the unique master’s culinary and drop into one of the celebrated chef’s restaurants Joel Robuchon Monte-Carlo, situated in the tiny scenic Principality of Monaco.
The restaurant marked by 2 Michelin Guide stars is located on the grounds of the legendary Metropole Hotel. Its development is inseparably linked with the hotel’s history.
In 2002 the hotel was refurbished and the guests saw it in a new Belle Epoque style, filled with an elegant spirit of refined classics. Joel Robuchon Monte-Carlo, one of the major attractions at the hotel, was also redone.
Joel Robuchon manages the restaurant together with Christophe Cussac, head chef and a man of great experience whose specialization is Mediterranean cuisine. Together with Christophe Robuchon has developed a classic menu with a contemporary tint and Mediterranean flavour.
The unforgettable Robuchon style is made up by many elements. A comfortable and stylish interior with an open kitchen lit by red lamps creates a warm and homey ambience. Music sets compiled by the famous audio designer Béatrice Ardisson add an exquisite touch to the amiable and warm atmosphere. Friendly staff that had undergone training within the Luxury Attitude programme are aimed to be invisible guides bringing comfort and pleasure to demanding guests.
However, the main element of Joel Robuchon style is his cooking. The idea is to showcase the creative process as an open workshop, an atelier where unforgettable masterpieces appear from under the loving hand of a gifted master, combining exquisite quality of ingredients and elegance of execution. No one has been left indifferent by his famous free-range quail stuffed with foie gras and truffled mashed potatoes.
According to Robuchon himself, “the client wants to be served a dish easily recognizable and not burdened by useless features. The future of the restaurant business lies in simplicity, but this simplicity is so difficult to achieve…”
Joel Robuchon’s success comes from impeccably balanced combination of ingredients. He is all about exquisite attention to detail and a new approach to luxury where glamour and pomposity come side by side with moderateness and elegant simplicity.
His passion for the Joel Robuchon restaurant is explained not by the desire to be accepted and shine, but by a wish to create a stylish establishment without rigid dress-code framework or decorous rituals. His main objective is to build a cozy nook for true gourmet eaters.
Julia Mikeda
Photoreport
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