Sometimes all it takes is an email like this to make you want to squeal with joy as you bust out a little happy dance (to yourself of course so you don't act a-fool in the office).... :) all while cursing the heavens for not letting you win the lottery..just so you can travel the world, eating at fabulous restaurants like this... ALL. THE. TIME! ;) Whew... that was kinda long winded...but still true. :) I'm doing my happy dance now.. ;)
Mr. Chad Kelley
We are happy to confirm your reservation in our restaurant: L’Atelier Saint Germain de Joel Robuchon 5 rue de Montalembert 75007 Paris.
Due to the increasing number of no-shows, we will not guarantee this reservation unless you reconfirm the day before your arrival.
With our best regards,
François Orisé
With another fabulous restaurant reservation made, this time in Paris, it's time to cross off another amazing restaurant off of Chad's "Ultimate Places to Eat" list. :)
Update: Link to the post about our actual visit can be found
As noted in the Joel Robuchon website...
Joël Robuchon was awarded in 1976 « Meilleur Ouvrier de France », then in 1987 « Chef de l'annee », then in 1990 « Cuisinier du siècle ». As of today, with 26 Michelin stars, he is the only chef to hold such a worldwide record .
At his birth April 7th, 1945 in Poitiers, nothing compelled this bricklayer's son to walk off with all those titles and rewards. Pupil at the Petit Séminaire de Mauléon-sur-Sèvres in les Deux-Sèvres, he once thought about entering the service of God but he finally found his way in the gastronomy by becoming at first an apprentice then a companion.
At the age of 29, he took over the commands of the kitchen of the Concorde Lafayette hotel and managed 90 cooks, serving several thousands meals per day. His professionalism, his rigor, his assurance, his creativity gave him a beautiful reputation. After a remarkable passage as an Executive Chef and as a Food and Beverage manager of the hotel Nikko where he gained two Michelin stars, he then opens his restaurant in December 1981: Jamin.
The first year he received his first Michelin star, the following year, the second one and the year after, the third. Three years, three Stars, a feat never seen before in gastronomy!
For over ten years, his restaurant achieved remarkable success. In 1994, he settled down Avenue Raymond Poincaré, in a restaurant bearing his name.
The « Joël Robuchon » restaurant was awarded « Best Restaurant in the World » in 1994 by the International Herald Tribune. A worldwide success was already taking place.
As promised, Joël Robuchon, 50 years old, announced his retirement, to focus on handing over his knowledge. Far from the pressure of the stars, he decided with his friend film director Guy Job, « to bring » la cuisine to the television making it more accessible and to demystify it.
For over 10 years, with the most famous « Bon Appetit Bien Sûr » - TV show, Joël Robuchon proposed a daily rendez-vous, a real cuisine lesson, where he greets a fellow chef every week, presents simple and affordable recipes, tips and tricks, thus making it accessible to a broader public.
During all these years, Joel Robuchon travelled the world and regularly went to Japan to discover new products, skilfully passed on techniques by the chefs for decades and became passionate about the empire of the rising sun.
His Japanese experience and his discovery of tapas bars in Spain gave him the inspiration to offer a new dynamics to his vision of cooking. He elaborated a new original concept of restaurant to bring his 'cuisine'in front of the guests, a 'cuisine' of quality products offered in a spirit of conviviality.
The concept of « L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon » - was born!
Joël Robuchon asked Pierre-Yves Rochon to design this luxurious place so as to put forward his chefs, his products and flavours. A restaurant where classic gold and white colours specific to many luxury French restaurants, were replaced by black and red.
As a conductor, Joël Robuchon calls upon his long-standing fellows; Eric Bouchenoire, Philippe Braun and Eric Lecerf to write the musical score of his 'cuisine', François Benot to create new pastries and Antoine Hernandez to create his wine list.
In 2003, the first « L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon » opened its doors in Paris, in the 7th arrondissement, and simultaneously in Tokyo thus disrupting the traditions of « La haute gastronomie ».
This place is unique, warm hearted, opened on the kitchen's stoves, where customers immediately feel at ease, far away from classic restaurants. The first customers are delighted to discover this innovative concept, where gastronomy rhymes with conviviality. This opening makes an echo in the French and foreign press who greet the return of this great French chef.
The success of L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Paris encouraged Joël Robuchon to develop its concept on all continents: Las Vegas in 2005, New York, London and Hong Kong in 2006 and Taipei in 2009.
The same touch, the same know-how, the same use of products, but a cooking adapted according to the country and its culinary traditions where epicureans throughout the world meet in the same spirit of conviviality. The concept is appealing.
Joël Robuchon and his team get involved into each of the restaurants, going from London to New York, and from Hong Kong to Las Vegas. Between two journeys, between two countries or two continents, he heads to his Parisian laboratory where he crafts, prepares, tests and studies the future dishes to be offered to its customers worldwide.
To answer the different demands from worldwide customers, Joël Robuchon besides his ateliers opened other establishments in luxurious environments always respecting this spirit of sublime simplicity; a 3 star gourmet restaurant in a « French-style » castle right in the heart of Tokyo, another 3 star restaurant situated in Macao at the top of a casino or in the model of a mansion, 3 star restaurant right in the heart of the casino of MGM , Las Vegas. Outside these tables of exception, we also count, the Restaurant of Joêl Robuchon in Monaco (2 stars) and his Japanese restaurant Yoshi (1 star), without forgetting satellites, tearooms, pastry shops and the other dining outlets that declines the spirit of Joël Robuchon.
In each of his restaurants throughout the world, Joël Robuchon remains faithful to his principles which made him a guide of the French gastronomy; an exceptional choice of products and ease in execution thanks to his talent in choosing and training his team.
**** Europe HERE WE COME! ****
Hasta La Pasta Lovelies, see ya in about 2 weeks! :)
