Christophe Saintagne - Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée

June 27th 2013

Here's another set of old pictures published to support nowadays news. With Ducasse reopening at the Plaza Athénée, let's revisit Christope Saintagne's (now in charge of the Meurice) cuisine.

Let's forget molecular cuisine, let's forget complex pretentious compositions, the great achievement of this cuisine is to demonstrate the elegance of the simplicity. Of course, the usual codes of haute-cuisine are there (lobster, caviar, pigeon, sweetbread, etc.) but the simplicity with which those are prepared is a perilous endeavour. No hiding behind a heavy sauce, no masking of the products. However risky this stance is, the Alain Ducasse and his team manage to deliver a truly wonderful experience.

A huge part of this experience is also due to the monitoring and presence of the Denis Courtiade, the maitre d'hotel whose judgement and heartfelt attention is becoming rare. A maitre d'hotel like Monsieur Courtiade somehow preserves from oblivion the incredible service and class of the great Maitres d'Hotel from other times and other places like the dearly missed Jean-Claude Vrinat.

Mr Ducasse on the other hand was not there, probably flying between Tokyo and Las Vegas to maintain the culinary empire he has created.

Lardo di Colonnata

Vegetables, olives (cooked in a salt crust)

Dublin bay prawns, caviar

Turbot, yonug vegetables

Spider crab, squid

Lobster, "sea potato"

Sweetbread

Spicy lamb

Pigeon, radish, mustard

Pigeon offals

Roasted poultry, herbs, girolles

Strawberry

Cottage yew cheese, caramel, pepper

Baba au rhum

Hôtel Plaza Athénée
25, avenue Montaigne
75008 Paris, France

Tel. +33 (0)1 53 67 65 00
Fax. +33 (0)1 53 67 65 12
adpa@alain-ducasse.com
www.plaza-athenee-paris.fr