Gastronomy OCTOBER 2018 : ISSUE 89
Revelation On a Plate In the heart of Provence is Restaurant Christophe Bacquié, the result of a culinary epiphany from its Michelin-acclaimed chef. His purposeful fare has a similar impact on guests, too WORDS: CHRIS UJMA
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kin to a hearty meal, the rise to prominence of Christophe Bacquié can be defined by stages; not quite ‘courses’ but what the Michelin-acclaimed chef describes as “epiphanies.” Corsica-born Bacquié helms the formidable fine dining eatery at five-star Hôtel & Spa du Castellet, which earned its third Michelin star this year – 12 months after it was recognised as the Best Hotel Restaurant in Europe at Prix Vilégiature. The restaurant is located in a secluded town with two hotels, a Golf Club and acres of lush scenery. There’s a premier international VIP airport here, too, but the 45-minute helicopter ride from Nice is worth it for the scenery alone: the route flutters over the pine forests of Provence, punctuated by slivers of glittering Mediterranean Sea and verdant vineyards. There’s hubbub at certain times of year; the hotel is a stone’s throw from Circuit Paul Richard – a racetrack that drifts a distant symphony of high performance engines across the breeze. But overall, sleepy Castellet is far away from the hustle and bustle of Paris, where the chef had revelations to shape his philosophy. In 1992, Bacquié was taken on at L’Oasis de Mandelieu by Louis Outier and Stéphane Raimbault. This was where he had his first epiphany, he says: “A renowned restaurant… a team of fifteen or so… haute cuisine, interactions, and a fine atmosphere. Between Raimbault, the demanding expert, and Outier, the father and mentor figure, I felt at home and discovered the joys of working with top quality products.” Returning to Paris he worked with yet more elite chefs at the Ministry of
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Defence Office canteen, on a bout of National Service. This provoked a second epiphany: “The team was purely chefs who came from renowned restaurants – it was a team of greats”, he says, and when the Minister had diplomatic guests, the ensemble was given freedom to exchange ideas and make them a reality; a valuable lesson in creative freedom. Bacquié’s mindset was also shaped by Emmanuel Renaut– owner of Flocons de Sel in Mégève, who was awarded Best Craftsman of France in 2004. He recalls Renaut making a comment over a meal in 2006 – admittedly in a “very simple and friendly way”. At that time, Bacquié admits to adorning his plates with “unnecessary decoration”, and Renaut remarked, ‘What you do is not bad, but the day that you start to think about your dish and not its appearance you’ll progress a lot more quickly.’ Bacquié recalls, “The next day I announced to my team, ‘As of now we are going to cook and we are going to stop messing around.’” He kept the lessons in mind when eventually opening his eponymous restaurant at Hôtel & Spa du Castellet in 2009, saying, “I have been lucky enough to meet some great chefs who taught me everything that they knew, but also opened up their hearts to me. That maturity developed my own awareness.” So to the present, and a restaurant he describes as “a sober, elegant and refined environment between land and sea. We have circular tables upon soft carpet, no tablecloths and an overall design concept that is a collaboration between architect Yvann Pluskwa, my wife [Andrea] and I.”
