Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of 500 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants in 60 countries. From the vineyards in Napa valley to the beaches in Bali, from the olive trees in Provence to the lodges in South Africa, Relais & Châteaux offers all the stops on the finest route for discovering each special place and country.
In all our properties, each maître de maison draws upon his unique experience and passion to share the authentic culture and tastes of his region with every guest.
Magical places and memories of a lifetime: whether it be a romantic weekend or to celebrate the important moments of life such as birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoon or family reunions.
Established in France more than 50 years ago, Relais & Châteaux has become a renowned reference of excellence in the hotel and restaurant world. The Association's mission is to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character.
I was heading for a sports career. After an injury, I had to rethink my future. The need for a challenge, a desire to bring pleasure to others and the Sicilian origins of my grandmother led me, quite naturally, towards gourmet cuisine.
My career path has been punctuated by the great names of French gourmet cuisine: Paul BOCUSE, Philippe GAUVREAU, Régis MARCON, Jacques MAXIMIN, Roger JALOUX… I have learnt something from each of them and they have helped me craft my own identity. My cuisine is born of chance meetings and exchanges. That is how I became MOF (Best Worker of France) in January 2004. After winning this award, I took over Les Terrasses de Lyon, the gourmet restaurant at Villa Florentine and became a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux in 2010.
What was your most moving culinary experience? A birthday dinner at the Troisgros restaurant. And particularly their dessert trolley, which was, in terms of taste, technique and appearance, utterly exceptional. I never had the same feeling of excitement with any dessert from anywhere else...
The most amusing kitchen incident you ever witnessed? My first dish at Villa Florentine! A couple had ordered the most complicated dish on the menu: roast lobster with ginger and mango chutney and rice crackers in ink. I felt I had made an absolute mess of it: the stress and worry of this first night had got to me. I ended up by offering it to the guests for free and they were astonished as they hadn’t been at all disappointed by the dish!
Your best piece of advice for amateur chefs? Choose something simple with the best possible ingredients and make sure you give of your best.
France
Villa Florentine
