Plate creations
Le Bristol Paris has confirmed that its four Michelin stars are here to stay in 2022. For 13 years, Epicure has retained its three stars, and 114 Faubourg has been awarded its star for what is now the 10th year in a row. To mark this festive milestone, executive chef Eric Frechon and his team at 114 Fau- bourg have crafted a special anniversary menu showcasing some of the most beloved dishes of the past decade.
The five-course feast opens with the delicate king crab egg served with ginger and lemon mayonnaise, followed by langoustine ravioli, a succulent filet of John Dory with cockles. and then a crispy pigeon and foie gras. The flavourful journey ends in a sweet serenade of pink grapefruit with yogurt sorbet, flower honey and a delicate dusting of bee pollen in a subtle nod to springtime’s arrival in Paris.
A taste of Paris
Arnaud Donckele has conquered three stars during his first year of open- ing Plénitude restaurant within Cheval Blanc Paris. With its 26 seats facing the Seine, the gastronomic restaurant Plénitude, located on the first floor of Cheval Blanc Paris, is an intimate place. Donckele works as a master per- fumer, considering every note in these elixir-like sauces, which normally play supporting roles, but here at Plénitude, they take centre stage.
Donckele has spent more than three years developing the restaurant’s cuisine, creating a technique with infinite possibilities. His approach is built on the connection with his producers and with his teams who fulfil the po- tential of his vision. That vision represents his overriding desire to bring his customers on an emotional journey of discovery, opening the doors to a poetic cuisine made with heart and honesty.
Celebrity chef
Love your desserts? The Michelin Guide France has bestowed The Passion Dessert 2022 award to Lilian Bonnefoi, pastry chef at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, for his imaginative creations and his proven commitment to elevate ethical and environmental standards. His ecological convictions lead him to work closely with local farms and orchards to provide customers with only the highest-quality seasonal products. The chef’s desserts are made entirely from natural ingredients such as honey from the hotel’s own beehives, fresh fruit ripened under the warm Riviera sun, natural spices, and more.
Bonnefoi’s remarkable talent lies in approaching sugar and chocolate like a sculptor, in creating visual poetry from natu- ral ingredients and colours and in inventing new flavour pair- ings to awaken sensory memories of childhood.
Originally from Roanne, Bonnefoi grew up in the cradle of high gastronomy. Often labelled an “enfant terrible” who was rather resistant to traditional academic studies, he discovered his vocation as a teenager when he pursued a Certificate of Professional Aptitude (CAP) in pastry-making. With his diplo- ma in hand, he joined the Troisgros brigade in 1990 as chef de partie, then sous-chef pâtissier, until 1992. This unique ex- perience opened his eyes to the world, and he travelled as far as the US, which served as a springboard for him to become head pastry chef at the prestigious Hotel Guanahany in Saint- Barthélémy. In 1995, Bonnefoi returned to France to join the team at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, marking a major turning point in his career.
Named “Best Pastry Chef on the Côte d’Azur” in 2008 at the age of 38, Bonnefoi has long been known for pushing boundaries in the pursuit of excellence.
