Encounters between chefs and the landscape

In the words of Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke, “We are born, as it were, temporarily, somewhere; it is little by little that we compose within ourselves the place of our origin, in order to be born there afterward, and with each passing day, more definitively.” That is a good description of the life of Michel Kayser, born in the 1950s in Bitche, Moselle. He began cooking at the tender age of 13. He traveled here, there and everywhere (Burgundy, Alsace, Palavas-les-Flots, the mountains and more) before circling around Restaurant Alexandre, between Nîmes and Arles. He left, returned and eventually bought the place. Today, he thrives here, strengthened by his rich, colorful journey. Thus his passion was forged, slowly and profoundly. As was his unwavering love for olive oil and, above all, a highly technical yet indulgent, sensuous cuisine, which the chef proudly describes as “a connoisseur’s cuisine rooted in the South of France, without unnecessary embellishment.” Like his broiled Mediterranean red mullet and ravioli with picholine tapenade and toasted fish jus. Another is Costières pigeon: pan-roasted breast on the crown, stuffed thigh and crispy offal with a rich smoked paprika jus. All to be enjoyed under the shade of ancient cedar trees.

What could be more reassuring than an institution like Restaurant Da Vinci that stands the test of time? That might be what we all seek in gastronomy: landmarks. Certitudes that tie us to the past while occupying a contemporary dimension. As illustrated by this architectural complex that has stood on the banks of the Meuse, overlooking the port, with passion and perseverance, for 30 years. Believing in the same values, and upholding great beloved restaurant classics... Like steps off the beaten path that better show the way. Leading this establishment in Maasbracht is Chef Margo Reuten, assisted over three decades by her husband–the exceptional sommelier Petro Kools–who has won several awards for his outstanding wine knowledge. This kind of sacred synergy between kitchen and dining room might be what makes a restaurant truly great. Each one uplifts the other. And so the dishes confidently unfold, such as pan-seared foie gras with caramelized apples in a veal stock and Calvados reduction, or North Sea turbot wrapped in puff pastry, baked with porcini mushrooms and celeriac. One we cannot forget.

Jean-Paul Bondoux has come a long way from his native Burgundy to shine his light into a residential area of Punta del Este, in an understated restaurant that he simply named after his home region. Nestled within a fragrant pine grove, it asserts a rustic style, with several tables arranged on the terrace overlooking a romantic garden. Since it opened in 1981, he has understood that he could not play on superficial urban codes in this honest countryside locale, near the seaside where nature is lush and abundant. His cuisine is more intuitive, with bread, pastries, wine and cheese all made on site. Home-grown tomatoes are simply served with a few snippets of basil from the garden. This is one of the not-to-be-missed restaurants in South America where the world’s globetrotters make a stopover. Diners appreciate the high level of technical mastery balanced by the sense of calm rooted in traditional cuisine–as demonstrated by a dish of wild duck raised in the rice field lagoons of Rocha province. “I like to prepare duck in two ways,” explains Jean-Paul. “First, we roast it whole, then we remove the breasts and tenderloins and poach the thighs in fat. We serve those in a second course with green salad and sauce à la diable.”

There are few restaurants that can make it through a full century with quiet strength and the power of a reputation. Even the mention of the name Crissier–the Swiss town near Lausanne, overlooking Lake Geneva–is enough to turn the heads of gourmets all around the world. It immediately evokes a trilogy of legendary chefs: Frédy Girardet, Philippe Rochat and Benoît Violier. The three built the world renown of this restaurant, led by Franck Giovannini for the last seven years. He is charged with knowing, feeling and bringing to life the institution that he now represents. The strength of the cuisine at Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville is its splendid classicism, highlighting seasonal ingredients and especially pure flavors. Take, for example, the elegant spheres of foie gras dusted with blood orange, served with a tangy fruit chutney and heritage grains. But its reputation as a ‘grand restaurant’ is also deserved because it has one of the most remarkable dining room services in all of Europe. Coordinated by Frédéric Reguin and Jérôme Belnard, it is a spectacle unto itself: a discreet, elegant choreography that reaches its pinnacle with the gueridon tableside service. A grace that reveals the perfection praised by guides and connoisseurs alike.

The cuisine of Jérôme Ferrer is like a lively abstraction of his entire life’s journey. He was born in Narbonne, France, he channels that energy into a dense concentration of flavors in dishes bursting with anecdotes. In the spacious, ultra-contemporary dining room of his restaurant in Montreal, in the heart of Quebec, this master chef unfurls his culinary approach on an immersive trip throughout Canada. At this destination–named Canada’s best restaurant in 2018–each dish elevates the country’s tastiest treasures, often in spectacularly rich, expressive ways. Take, for example, the Gaspé Peninsula lobster cappuccino with truffle; the creamy cake of crab claw and candied lemon peel; the Sockeye salmon; and the Alberta bison or beef, seasoned with rare spices from First Nation traditions and Quebec’s exquisite maple sap. This is an ode to the provinces of Canada, from their many ingredients–such as suckling pig–to their contemporary flourishes. A single evening informs the diner on almost every aspect of our time and this land, even in the resonance of the chef’s Franco-Spanish roots: from his father who was a winemaker and farmer to his many uncles who were fishermen.

One of the great fortunes of Latin American countries is that they benefit from a modernist latitude when it comes to gastronomy. While they have an ancient cultural heritage to play on, they also enjoy the freedom to experiment with culinary trends, bringing an open-ended, heterogeneous and imaginative character to the cookery of this continent. Completely unbridled. Trained in France, Chef Wilson Alpala is the creative force behind this beautiful restaurant, with its understated lines of wood and glass. In this sleek, hushed lounge, he showcases the song of a liberated, creative and fragrant cuisine, ranging from confit duck with gnocchi to the famous cuy–traditional guinea pig–to Peruvian ceviche. A reminder that the world is at its most vibrant when it embraces the best of what others have to offer. The finesse of this avant-garde cuisine–as it is known in Quito–is undoubtedly reflected in the refinement of its modern setting, and, of course, in its service. The restaurant offers a glimpse of the estate’s greenhouses and, most notably, a tour of the wine cellar. One of the finest in Ecuador, its ceiling soars to a spectacular height of 26 feet/8 meters.