Plaza Athenée: back to the essential
New Chef, new decor and new menu: Le Plaza Athénée has been given a complete make over. Objective? To reconnect with the essentials; back to true tastes and original fragrances. Worth trying!
A rather radical approach
It’s Christophe Saintagne, ex Plaza Athénée and Crillon, who took over from Christophe Moret to become chef des cuisines of the Plaza Athénée, and together with Alain Ducasse responsible for the 180 ° turn. Because this new approach by the multi starred chef is radical: restart from the beginning, with true tastes and let the products express their strength and their delicacy in order to reveal the flavor of nature. A tartar of scampi, minute, seasoned with just a bit of a green lemon juice, salt and pepper, and suddenly, the real flavors of the Ocean arise from your plate. The scampi speaks its own language. Going back to the essential means also to refuse demonstrations of virtuosity. What can you expect? The beef filet is simply tied up with a little bacon and truffle to concentrate the juices and then roast. A bet on simplicity. A gratifying gastronomic madness.
Hush to conventions!
To go back to the essential is to reverse conventions. And for a reason, according to Ducasse, the two different worlds of noble and others products do not exist. If there is a difference, it’s because of the product’s quality. That's all. So now, at the Plaza Athénée, your lobster might be served with potatoes; that means only when bearing a pedigree name. For potatoes this means; directly from Noirmoutier. Slightly seasoned with a bit of crustacean juice, the scampi tickles our taste buds and is revolutionising gastronomy in its disturbing simplicity. In the end, it is indeed an ode to true taste and a genuine respect for the product that is served in the palace on the Avenue Montaigne. Obviously it was the right time to reveal this to us.
It’s Christophe Saintagne, ex Plaza Athénée and Crillon, who took over from Christophe Moret to become chef des cuisines of the Plaza Athénée, and together with Alain Ducasse responsible for the 180 ° turn. Because this new approach by the multi starred chef is radical: restart from the beginning, with true tastes and let the products express their strength and their delicacy in order to reveal the flavor of nature. A tartar of scampi, minute, seasoned with just a bit of a green lemon juice, salt and pepper, and suddenly, the real flavors of the Ocean arise from your plate. The scampi speaks its own language. Going back to the essential means also to refuse demonstrations of virtuosity. What can you expect? The beef filet is simply tied up with a little bacon and truffle to concentrate the juices and then roast. A bet on simplicity. A gratifying gastronomic madness.
Hush to conventions!
To go back to the essential is to reverse conventions. And for a reason, according to Ducasse, the two different worlds of noble and others products do not exist. If there is a difference, it’s because of the product’s quality. That's all. So now, at the Plaza Athénée, your lobster might be served with potatoes; that means only when bearing a pedigree name. For potatoes this means; directly from Noirmoutier. Slightly seasoned with a bit of crustacean juice, the scampi tickles our taste buds and is revolutionising gastronomy in its disturbing simplicity. In the end, it is indeed an ode to true taste and a genuine respect for the product that is served in the palace on the Avenue Montaigne. Obviously it was the right time to reveal this to us.
Mars 2011
By Katya PELLEGRINO
