4 minute read
Revelation On a Plate
Akin 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.
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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 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.”
He says, “After all this experience, I’d define myself as a chef of Mediterranean produce. In my dishes I pay tribute to the finest products and try to let their quality speak for itself instead, of unnecessarily overpowering.”
A dish that typifies this approach is his Aïoli moderne – using vegetables from market gardeners, combined with locally fished octopus. He says, “I wanted to revisit this iconic festive dish from Provence, making it more contemporary while keeping its essence. The sauce is very light thanks to a specific technic (siphoned aïoli), tomatoes are candied, and the octopus has been tenderised.”
It is an example of how Bacquié is classed as very technical – though downplays this. “Yes, there is technique when the dish is being prepared but it is discreet, leaving way for the ingredients and the taste.”
He dispatches certain questions with directness: His attribute? “Tenacity”. His definition of luxury? “Doing nothing!” His culinary treat? “Lemon tart, and blanquette de veau (veal ragout)”.
Yet he is methodical with other matters, like the emotional components to his journey or in explaining his signature approach. “You have to try to go that bit further, not in terms of competition but with emotion, by sharing, meeting people, and in the image that is portrayed day-in, day-out,” Bacquié outlines.
A journey through his menu truly ignites the senses; an intentional engagement, he admits. “The first sense I engage is sight. Then comes flavour and taste. The taste, quite simply, for the most part comes from the excellence of the products used: between a line-caught sea bass and a farmed sea-bass, even if farmed in the open sea and fed on meal, the outcome when cooked is completely different.”
This point leads neatly onto sustainability, which is crucial for the chef. He entered into partnership with SeaWeb, and is an ambassador in the Var region (championing the preservation of ocean resources). He urges his peers to choose varieties that are not endangered and which are fished using environmentally-friendly methods.
Bacquié has long been an advocate, saying, “I think that us chefs have an important role to play; when we select types of fish to go our own menus we send a message to our customers.” He signed the Relais & Chateaux sustainable charter back in 2009.
It is an ethos that fits into his authentic nature, which has earned Restaurant Christophe Bacquié deserved plaudits – so, time for him to laze back in the Provençal sun and bask in glory? Not quite. “For me, the recurring theme is starting again every day,” he says, ever the analyst. “I can’t let myself think that a dish is finished – even if it has been met with a lot of success.”
