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 the son of a hotelier and restaurateur and not a very good pupil so I was sent quite young on an apprenticeship some kilometres away from the family restaurant, to a man called... Bocuse. Son Paul had just taken over from his father Georges in the kitchens. There were four of us as apprentices including Jacky Marguin and Roger Jaloux. The demands, the perfection, the sureness of touch, the rigour of Monsieur Paul motivated us and gave us the courage to continue in this profession. It was a very demanding apprenticeship but it stood us in good standing for our career. My cuisine is traditional and I use very high quality produce.
What was your most moving culinary experience? A lunch at the Pot au Feu in Asnières, with Michel Guérard who was waiting out in the street for Jean Banchet, Jacky Marguin and me. His sea bass and scallops, cooked in an oval oven dish, and his feuillantine with caramelised pears blew us away. As did Michel Guérard himself, who is an indefatigable storyteller and kept us company for a good part of the afternoon.
The most amusing kitchen incident you ever witnessed? In the 80s, a customer called for me to come to the dining room to tell me that he found his dessert bizarre: he had been served caramelised floating island in crème anglaise. When I got back to the kitchen I tasted it and discovered to my horror that the crème anglaise was really a beurre blanc and the caramel was salty as salt had been put in instead of sugar by mistake and the crème anglaise had swapped places with the beurre blanc. It really wasn’t very good at all. You can laugh about it now, but at the time...
Your best piece of advice for amateur chefs? Enjoy time with your family, and just have a single dish …
France
