Michelin Stars Glitter Among the Restaurants of The Leading Hotels of the World
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Michelin Stars Glitter Among the Restaurants of The Leading Hotels of the World
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Category: Worldwide - Gourmet restaurants -
Gourmet restaurants
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2010-02-25
Among the restaurants in The Leading Hotels of the World, avid diners can find a veritable constellation of Michelin stars. Behind those stars, of course, are creative chefs – each of whom has a story and a style. To whet the appetite, what follows is but a small sampling of the supernovas in the culinary galaxy of Leading Hotels.
Those restaurants that have garnered the coveted three Michelin stars include:
Hotel Windsor Toya in Japan boasts two three-star honorees: Michel Bras Toya Japon and Arashiyama Kitcho. Michel Bras Toya Japon has received three stars for ten consecutive years since 1998. Chef Bras learned food preparation from his mother at family-run auberge and went on to accumulate Gault Millau toques and points, as well as his Michelin stars. One of his classic presentations is gargouille, with 30 herbs and approximately 20 vegetables freshly picked from the surrounding area. A sinfully delightful dessert is his trademarked Chocolate Biscuit Coulant, a cylindrical chocolate cake with a decadently rich filling. The hotel is also justly proud of Arashiyama Kitcho which acquired its three stars in 2009 and offers traditional Japanese kaiseki courses highlighting local seafood, vegetables, wild herbs and dairy products. While there are no signature dishes as such, a summer menu might include an octopus appetizer, charcoal-grilled rockfish, and simmered and chilled vegetables such as eggplant, sweet pepper, tomato, and ginger sprout. Desserts are often made of seasonal fruits and nuts, such as chestnut sweets and served with matcha green tea. Chef Kunio Tokuoka began his training when he was 15 years old, becoming an executive chef in 1995. He is famous for his knowledge of food and nutrition education. In addition to being a frequent speaker on dietary education, kaiseki courses, and Japanese cuisines, he is the author of several books on these topics.
At Hotel Le Bristol in Paris, Le Restaurant, which received its first star in 1999 and its third in 2008, is under the guidance Chef Eric Frechon. His goal is to bring back products that he believes were unfairly taken out of the gastronomic vocabulary, but that should be appreciated solely for their simplicity. Throughout the year, he orchestrates menus that highlight seasonal products; for example, Mushroom Month in the autumn or Truffle Month in January. Chef Ferchon began his career at the age of 17, when he joined Jean Sabine’s team at La Grande Cascade in Paris. He then trained alongside noteworthy chefs including Emile Tabourdiau at Hotel Le Bristol, and Claude Deligne at Taillevent. He went on to hold other positions at Le Byblos Andaluz in Malaga, La Tour d’Argent and Hôtel de Crillon. In 1996, he opened his own restaurant, La Verrière, and returned to Hôtel Le Bristol as Head Chef in 1999. A typical meal might start with stuffed macaroni with black truffle, artichoke and duck foie gras, with a grilled topping of mature Parmesan cheese; followed by poached Bresse farm hen with vin jaune, variety meats, chanterelle mushrooms and crayfish; finishing with a dessert of Nyangbo chocolate, liquid cocoa, thin tile-like wafers and gold gilded sorbet.
Another legendary bearer of three stars is Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse at Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, where diners are invited on a voyage to the very heart of the Mediterranean region. The menu encompasses numerous combinations of tantalizing aromas and flavors from the South. A classic starter might be Provence garden vegetables cooked with black truffle, Terre Bormane Taggiasche olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Vegetables from the morning’s market are cooked separately, sautéed in olive oil, and deglazed with poultry stock. They are then mixed together, cooked with crushed black truffle, seasoned with a dash of olive oil, a touch of balsamic and Xeres vinegars, and a dusting of top quality salt at the end. This could be followed by a breast of squab from the Alpes-de- Haute-Provence region, with duck foie gras and grilled potatoes. The potatoes are cooked in duck fat, while the squab breast, the duck foie gras are grilled over the embers, and the juice is thickened with the minced liver and heart. This dish must be “done to a turn”, as the taste and appearance diminish if the pigeon is “well done”. Dessert would be Louis XV with a crispy praline, a cake made with hazelnut praline, served with a lace-thin Breton crepe, and a mixture of chocolate, whipped cream, plain chocolate, chocolate flakes and a gold leaf.
Two Leading Hotels that have more than one Michelin-starred venue are Hotel Okura Amsterdam, and Grand Hôtel Stockholm.
Hotel Okura Amsterdam boasts two Michelin-starred restaurants: Ciel Bleu Restaurant and Yamazato. Ciel Bleu Restaurant, with two Michelin stars since 2007, offers a unique take on French cuisine and a breathtaking view over Amsterdam. Under the direction of Chef Onno Kokmeijer, its menu includes signature dishes such as a starter of lightly smoked Anjou pigeon with a crunch of potatoes and diced bacon, Cevennes onion compote served with sauce of hazelnut; a main course of sole fillet covered with white wine sauce, squid, sweet-and-sour leek and lobster tail; and crispy caramel with a pineapple parfait of Piña Colada and marinated seasonal fruit for dessert. Since 2002, Yamazato Restaurant has been the only traditional Japanese restaurant in Europe to hold a Michelin star. More than 50 Japanese specialties are prepared by the skilful hands of Executive Chef Akira Oshima, whose extensive experience includes eight years at the famous restaurant Tsurya in Osaka, Japan. The à la carte menu features dishes such as tempura, shabu-shabu, sukiyaki, and yaki -tori, among others. A large variety of the freshest sushi and sashimi is available and may also be selected in dividually at the sushi counter. Signature dishes include a starter of eel baton sushi, a main dish of grilled yellowtail with Japanese pepper, and a dessert of sweet azuki bean soup with chestnuts.
Another Leading Hotel with two dining venues holding Michelin stars is the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm, where Chef Mathias Dahlgren launched his eponymous restaurant in 2007. Restaurant Mathias Dahlgren offers two different dining experiences which complement each other through the dual concept of Matsalen – The Dining Room, and Matbaren – The Food Bar. Within two years of opening, Mathias Dahlgren Restaurant received its second Michelin star for Matsalen, and one starfor Matbaren. Menus in both the dining room and bar change frequently – but a typical offering in Matsalen would be a tartar of beef and oysters with watercress, raw onions, and tallow emulsion; while in Matbaren, diners could enjoy a tartar of Salma salmon with soy emulsion, cucumber, ginger, and coriander. Of his cooking philosophy, Chef Dahlgren says, “With a Swedish identity on a regional platform, I create my cuisine [incorporating] local as well as global ingredients and influences, a cuisine based on natural produce and natural taste...”
Several Leading Hotels are home to restaurants that have garnered two Michelin stars. Following are just a few.
The Palme d’Or Restaurant at Hotel Martinez in Cannes received its first Michelin star in 1985, and gained its second in 1991. Presenting inventive and daring cuisine, the restaurant offers a menu that changes with the seasons, utilizing Mediterranean flavors with regional specialties. Chef Christian Sinicropi, whose tenure began in 2001, is originally from Cannes, and trained in local restaurants after obtaining a vocational qualification in 1989. He actually made a first appearance at the Hotel Martinez, working alongside Christian Willer, and he recently participated in the event “Dinner in the Sky” in Paris. Signature dishes include: Cubisme dans la Bulle, gnocchi of potato and eggplant prepared with apple juice, served with red pepper “caponata” and raw oyster for a starter; L’Authentique, sardine grilled as a stockfish, red pepper and chips of perugine with eggplant pulp and Riviera flavors, for a main course; and The Chocolate Palme d’Or, a cake with splits of hazelnuts, and Tonka-bean ice cream for dessert.
L’Espadon at Ritz Paris was awarded its first Michelin star in 1982, and its second in 2009, under the guidance of Michel Roth, who has served as executive chef since 2001. His many accolades include the Prix Taittinger in 1985, and in 1991, the Prix Bocuse d’Or and the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France. In recognition of his services to French gastronomy and culture, he was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Légion d‘Honneur in 2006. Espousing a cuisine deeply rooted in the soil, Chef Roth creates a menu that is innovative, offering a contemporary approach to the establishment’s great classics, serving the Hereford beef fillet Rossini with cappuccino-style mashed ratte potatoes, which emit the mingled aromas of truffle and cocoa. Other signature dishes include a starter of royal crab with mango and passion vinaigrette; main course of fillet of Dover sole with cepes and roasted artichokes, potato emulsion and wild mushroom sauce; and a Ritzy Napoleon, with lightly salted caramel for dessert. L’Olivo at the Capri Palace achieved its first star in 2005, and its second in 2009. Chef Oliver Glowig orchestrates an innovative Mediterranean menu that includes items such as his seafood mosaic antipasto, a tasting of nine different fish samples served raw or marinated; a traditional pasta with potatoes and lobster for a first course, followed by a Neapolitan pork ragout with baked rice timbale; and culminating with goat cheesecake with wild berries for dessert.
Restaurant Joël Robuchon Monte Carlo at Hotel Metropole was awarded its first star in 2006 and its second in 2007. The menu celebrates the flavors, colors and fragrances of the Mediterranean. The restaurant thrives under the expert guidance of Christophe Cussac, who trained with Joël Robuchon, and who took the helm as Executive Chef in January 2004. A classic meal could be composed of a starter of sardine with fresh asparagus and confit of lemon from Menton; fillets of raw sardine thinly sliced on a mousse of sardine, subtly spiced up by the freshness of the asparagus and the acidity of locally grown lemon; a main course of John Dory with Mediterranean flavors, locally caught fish braised and served with an accompaniment of eggplant, tomato, olives and olive oil; and finishing with Head Pastry Chef Patrick Mesiano’s Intensely Chocolate, which blends a soft, light mousse with the crispiness of a biscuit; the creamy powerful taste of ganache; the subtlety of coco beans combined with the freshness of ice cream.
The cuisine at the two-star Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles – the only restaurant in Scotland to hold the honor — is unashamedly French but with a Scottish twist. Many of the ingredients for the menu come from the famous Rungis market outside Paris as well as from local Scottish suppliers. Chef Fairlie’s signature dish is a version of smoked lobster, which involves smoking lobster shells over old whisky barrels for up to twelve hours. A celebrated main course is a fillet of Perthshire lamb, and a typical dessert would include poached pear, cinnamon mousse, and caramel ice cream. At age 20 Chef Fairlie became the first recipient of the Roux Scholarship and remains its youngest scholar. He worked in the kitchen of Michel Guérard, and went on to work at Hôtel de Crillon before returning to Scotland to spend two seasons on the luxurious Royal
Scotsman train. In London he joined the Ritz as senior sous-chef before returning to Paris and EuroDisney for specialist management training.
Chef Peter Knogl oversees the operations: of the two-star Cheval Blanc at Hotel des Trois Rois, in Basel, Switzerland, which received its first star in 2007. The restaurant serves a menu highlighting Mediterranean fare and French haute cuisine, and among its signature dishes are a starter of foie gras and figs; a main course of scallops with Wasabi sauce, Granny Smith apples, beetroot and Ossetra caviar; and for dessert, a truffle heart chocolate biscuit with coconut sorbet and mango coulis. Chef Knogl’s extensive experience has included postings at several other Leading Hotels, including Hotel Negresco in Nice and Le Mirador Kempinski in Vevey.
Chef Anne-Sophie Pic designed the menu of her eponymous restaurant at the Beau Rivage Palace in Lausanne to complement the beautiful natural surroundings that can be seen from the hotel’s terrace. Chef Pic lays claim in her cuisine to her family heritage which spans more than a century, yet her own personality is very much in evidence – in a blend of audacity, lightness and refinement. She has included a mix of classic products including frogs’ legs and veal sweetbreads, cult ingredients such as fish and Dublin Bay prawns, and a tribute to the flowers of spring such as lavender, agastache and violets. Awarded two stars in 2009 – its opening year – the restaurant features signature dishes including a tartare of Dublin Bay prawns with green peas and caramelized sweet onions from the Cévennes, and agastache bouillon; strips of blue lobster with berries, frothy cream of celery and green peppercorns, pressed jus; and the rhubarb and peanut, a mini-tart of roasted peanut, rhubarb compote, peanut cream, and rhubarb sorbet.
Some of the many restaurants with one Michelin star are:
The Villa Eugenie at Hotel du Palais in Biarritz has proudly held its Michelin star for two decades. Here Executive Chef Jean-Marie Gautier, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, prepares traditional French cuisine, and presents his creations in a classically beautiful setting. Typical starters include an iced cocktail of lobster with tomatoes and tomato sorbet with basil and foie gras with sweet white wine marmalade. These could be followed by pan-fried fillet of red mullet served with creamy rice, squid ink and Espellette pepper sauce; or a whole duckling for two, slow-simmered then spit–roasted, with spices, figs, apples and sweet potato. After a selection of fine cheeses, the meal could finish with a hot bitter chocolate soufflé, or a warm apple tart with cinnamon ice cream.
Restaurant Le Cap at the Grand- Hotel du Cap-Ferrat obtained its first star in 2007, under the direction of Chef Didier Aniès. His cuisine is simple and delicious, unpretentious and elegant. Using locally produced ingredients, his creations are inventive and influenced by the Provence region. The menu at Le Cap changes regularly “selon le marché” and consists of the finest seafood and meats using locally sourced products. Signature offerings include lasagna with Aquitaine caviar and baby leeks in olive oil as a starter; roast rack of Allaiton lamb in an olive and parsley crust for a main course; and soufflé de fruits rouges flambé, crème glacée à la myrtille, created by award-winning Head Pastry Chef Luc Debove. Chef Aniès, Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2000, was appointed Executive Chef at the hotel in 2007. He is a member of the Académie Cullinaire Française, the Grand Cordon d’Or de Monaco, the Disciples d’Auguste Escoffier and the club Prosper Montagné.
Offering a menu of classic Provençal recipes with a contemporary touch, La Vague d’Or at La Résidence de La Pinède in Saint-Tropez received its first star in 1987 – and in 2009 was designated as “espoir 2”pending the release of the 2010 edition of the Michelin Guide. Chef Arnaud Donckele, who trained under Michel Guerard and Alain Ducasse, and was assistant to Jean-Louis Nomicos at the Lasserre restaurant in Paris, took over in 2004 at La Résidence de la Pinède. Representative dishes include a starter of delicate cream of langoustine soup with rosemary, cepes mushrooms and golden potatoes, served with brousse cheese quenelles with chestnut honey; a main course of turbot prepared at low temperature, served with Yuzu gremolata, common rock crab scented with marjoram, and raviolis stuffed with slipper lobster, calamari tentacles and spring onions in rockfish broth; and a dessert of nougat ice cream flavored with rose syrup, served with raspberries and strawberries, and a warm beignet.
The Park Restaurant at Brenner’s Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden was awarded its star in 2005. Chef
Andreas Krolik ascribes to a modern style of cooking with both classical and Mediterranean influences, going of his way to ensure that the basic product in question enjoys center stage. According to his philosophy, “A product should only be accompanied by a few individual components to ensure that the original taste is retained.” Signature dishes that might appear on his changing menu are tuna confit on semi-dried tomatoes with lemon-tomato vinaigrette and lightly jellied cucumber salad with mint and pepper cream; and a dessert parfait of Tahiti vanilla and baked apple mousse in wafer roll with grenadine apples. Matthias Buchholz is Chef de Cuisine at the first floor gourmet restaurant, Hotel Palace Berlin, which has held its star continuously since 1997. At 16, he answered an advertisement for a position as a cook’s apprentice, and won out over 70 other applicants. Since taking over the kitchen of the first floor he has amassed an impressive list of honors: three toques in the Gault Millau, Gault Millau title “Chef of the year 2001”, the Bunte Newcomer Award 2000, and the Schlemmer Atlas “Top chef of 2010” award. His offerings in the first floor are based on classical French cuisine, but with a robust character of their own. Chef Buchholz has earned a reputation for combining contemporary lightness of touch with a highly imaginative use of spices and condiments.
Examples of his specialties include salad of knuckle of veal and Breton lobster with asparagus and parsley emulsion; saddle and shoulder of Polting lamb with beans and olive paste; and nougat panna cotta with balsamic ice-cream. Chef Buchholz offers cooking classes approximately six times each year, during which up to eight students prepare a four-course dinner, which they later enjoy together.
La Terrasse at Park Hotel Bremen recently received its first star after being open for just a year and a half. Chef Heiko Schulz offers a modern interpretation of recipes with Mediterranean influences and regional dishes with Asian accents. A typical menu might start with grilled scallop on marinated calf’s sweet bread jelly and cauliflower with ragout of oxtail; followed by organic lamb with crust of Pommery mustard, filled artichoke and tomato with roasted potatocream terrine; and finishing with an iced dome of hazelnut praline, glazed balsamico plums and foam of Tonka beans and pine-nut crust.
Accompanying the creations are fine wines from the hotel’s own cellar, which regularly hosts tasting sessions. It is a veritable treasure trove featuring more than 600 different wines from all over the world. For lovers of Sauternes, the hotel offers a large selection of these unique sweet white wines in a separate cellar. One of the most recent recipients of a Michelin star is the Restaurant Luce d’Oro at Germany’s Schloss
Elmau, offering Chef Michael Hüsken’s culinary art which blends regional, Mediterranean and Asian
components. Appointed Culinary Director and Executive Chef of Restaurant Luce d’Oro in 2005, Chef Hüsken previously served as Executive Chef for Geisel Hotels, and Executive Chef at Restaurant Louvre, after having worked at Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart; Schloss Schwansbell, Luenen; and Johann Lafer’s Stromburg. A signature menu could include a starter of raw marinated tuna with red beets stewed in ginger, oyster ravioli with wasabi; followed by scallops with yuzu, pig’s feet tortelloni, tonic stock and Thai basil; a dish of poached beef with vadouvan dal and moschata pumpkin confit; and ending with a coconut tart with lychee and cardamom.
Since 1982 the Zirbelstube at the Colombi Hotel in Freiburg has carried its star. Under the direction of Alfred Klink since 1981, the kitchen produces a tempting menu of French fare with regional and Mediterranean accents. A dinner might begin with a starter of opera of goose liver with Lozère truffles, muscatel and puree of chervil root; with a fish course of fillet of sea bass with gratinated carpaccio of spiny
lobsters, tarragon-mustard seeds sauce and pumpkin tortellini; a main course of tournedos of fillet of veal with capers crust, parsley vegetables and lime risotto; and a dessert of marbled almond soufflé on apple-caramel pearls an d white nougat ice-cream. During Chef Klink’s career, he also worked at other Leading Hotels in Switzerland, including Baur au Lac in Zurich, and Hotel Kulm in St. Moritz. Jacobs Restaurant at Germany’s Hotel Louis C. Jacob was awarded its star in 1998. The cuisine can be described as contemporary light and fresh with French accents, refined but not overly elaborate.
Chef Thomas Martin, born in Mannheim, is a great believer in the light, classical cuisine who has had the good fortune to study with such top culinary names as Lothar Eiermann of the Wald-und Schlosshotel in Öhringen, Eckhart Witzigmann of Aubergine in Munich, and Dieter L. Kaufmann. A classic lunch menu might include a terrine of foie gras with champagne gelee, quince and a brioche; followed by an organic poached egg with a foam of white Alba truffle served on creamed spinach; Holstein veal fillet and breast served with wild mushrooms and chicory salad; ending with a tarte tatin of Altlaeder apples and topped with crème fraiche. The first Tuesday of every month, Chef Martin offers a cooking class for up to 15 people, after which the students can invite friends and family to join them to enjoy the fruits of their labors.
Ente at the Nassauer Hof in Wiesbaden has consistently and proudly held its Michelin star for more than 30 years. On the menu today, guests will find a perfect mix of classic European cooking with creative twists and often with unexpected nuances. Some of the dishes have all the makings of achieving cult status – like the fried Scottish scallops with steak tartare, blood oranges and young fennel. More adventurous diners can try exotic dishes like duck liver terrine with different flavors, from sweet to salty. But popular classics such as crispy fried duck with Brussels sprouts, herb sausages and bread dumplings are also found on the menu. Says Michael Kammermeier: “My vision for the Ente encompasses two main goals: firstly to provide guests with a superb and rewarding culinary experience, and secondly to maintain the high quality standards, for which the Ente has been known for the last 30 years.” Each month, eight people can join the chef to learn and discuss a variety of topics such as seafood or food and wine pairings.
The course lasts seven hours, and includes lunch, beverages, a recipe folder and an Ente apron. La Stüa de Michil at Hotel La Perla in Italy’s Dolomites region received its star in 2002. In addition to the typical traditional dishes, Chef Arturo Spicocchi creates his gastronomic innovations highlighting regional, organic and fair trade products. Truly emphasizing the use of locally grown products, all the vegetables used come from the hotel’s own garden. In surroundings reminiscent of a cozy alpine inn, the restaurant serves a tempting selection of cheese and milk, fresh wild game, mushrooms, aromatic herbs and edible flowers.
At the Aldrovandi Palace in Rome, baby received its star in 2006. Chef Alfonso Iaccarino presents a gourmet Mediterranean menu which could feature a starter of cinnamon-smoked Amberjack with potato and Tarocco orange; followed by ravioli stuffed with fresh caciotta cheese and marjoram, Vesuvian cherry tomato sauce and basil; and, for dessert, Neapolitan pastry filled with cinnamon cream and raspberry sauce.
The Maremma region is a land of gastronomic tradition, which L’Andana faithfully perpetuates.A sturdy barn houses La Trattoria Toscana, a restaurant featuring a menu of traditional Tuscan cuisine, demanding, yet simple and authentic. It achieved its star in 2007, and flourishes under the guidance of Chef Christophe Martin, who previously worked at Louis XV-Alain Ducasse in Monaco with Chef Franck Cerutti. Robust starters include plates of hams, prosciutto, and sausages; while main dishes include spaghetti accompanied by pan-fried cuttle-fish; crunchy greens marinated in olive oil, fresh ricotta accented with a crostini; herb-crusted veal chop; and gnocchi sautéed in tarragon. A typical dessert would be a classic zuppa Inglese. Imago at Hotel Hassler in Rome was awarded its first star in 2008, thanks to the creative skill of Chef Francesco Arpeda, who favors Mediterranean cuisine that blends in Italian tradition. Chef Arpeda’s training began in Rome at Hotel Hassler, where he started as a commis when he was 19, moving up to chef de partie after just one year. He went on to study in London, and at the behest of Hassler owner Roberto Wirth, he was later selected to head up the Wirth’s restaurant Cicerone at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. In 2003, he returned to the Hassler as Executive Chef, where his extensive training finds delicious expression in a menu that can include a starter of breaded sea scallops stuffed with buffalo mozzarella, celery leaves and black truffle; a main course of fusilloni pasta carbonara style with quail ragout; and finishes with a dessert of Sicilian cannoli filled with mascarpone cheese and pistachios, served with raspberry and star-anise sorbet.
The Principe Cerami at the San Domenico Palace Hotel in Taormina, Italy, received its star in the 2008 Michelin Guide. Chef Massimo Mantarro, a passionate interpreter of traditional Sicilian cuisine, started his career in 1987 at the Hotel Villa Sant’Andrea in Taormina. In 1991 he arrived at the San Domenico Palace and was soon recognized as an emerging talent. In 1999 he was promoted to Executive Sous Chef, becoming Executive Chef in 2003. The restaurant highlights creative and innovative cuisine,inspired by the rich Sicilian gastronomic heritage, sometimes incorporating exotic ingredients, and executed using lighter, modern cooking methods. A classic starter would be scampi carpaccio with wheat salad, blanched vegetables and local apple compote. A signature main course would be a presentation of finely chopped calamari and rice cream, basil pesto, and cuttlefish ink sauce; while a typical dessert would be a Bronte pistachio collection: ice cream and thin wafer, light crème brulée, and mini cake.
Awarded its first Michelin star in 2009, Jasper at Switzerland’s Palace Luzern serves a cuisine that can be described as “creative but uncomplicated, with more than a touch of Mediterranean magic. An essential element is the balanced blend of various aromas – taste-intensive, but not to excess.” Ulf Braunert has been in charge as Executive Chef since 2006, the same year he was named “Chef of the Year” by leading Swiss economic magazine “BILANZ.“ Previously he had worked at Hotel Giardino in Ascona, Golfhotel Waldhuus in Davos, and The Orchards Hotel, Williamstown, Massachusetts. Guests happily savor a starter of cannelloni of fresh goat cheese with olives from Taggiascha and caramelized beetroots; a main course of grilled veal rib chop with truffled taglioni; and dessert of warm dark chocolate tart with caramel and apple.
Les Saisons at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo has had one Michelin star for two consecutive years. A native of Tours, Chef Thierry Voisin began his career at the age of 15, and in just eight years his talent had caught
the attention of Les Crayeres' renowned chef-restaurateur Gerard Boyer. Since coming to the Imperial, Chef Voisin has created entirely new menus featuring seasonally changing dishes such as roast lobster cocotte with forest mushrooms; sliced, milk-fed veal and onion farci with rosemary; sea bass and truffle coulis with
almonds; and Bresse hen topped with truffles and foie gras. Chef Voisin's approach to cooking is visceral and intuitive, while his roots, he says, "are classic and solid. I test the new dishes by myself and with my team. I try to keep harmony and respect the taste of the principal element. I mean if I make a lobster with vanilla ...one must taste lobster first ...then few airy hints of vanilla...but it must not be vanilla with lobster!" The Dining Room at The Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena, California, has been awarded a coveted Michelin star for two years in a row and it remains the only hotel-run restaurant in Los Angeles with the distinction. Chef de Cuisine Michael Voltaggio, a recent contestant on the television series, Top Chef, started his career at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia and worked with Charlie Palmer at Dry Creek Kitchen. His inspired new American cuisine can be sampled from a menu comprising a starter of tomato tartare with parmesan over easy, tapenade powders; a main course of Wagyu short rib with textures of broccoli, tamarind, and baby turnip; and a dessert of Fool’s Gold – chocolate, salty hazelnut praline, milk sorbet.
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