Tomorrow belongs to them
They’re young, sometimes very young, and demonstrate that “For well-born souls, merit is not a matter of years”. Meet the chefs already treading the path to an illustrious future…
We haven’t heard the last of them. That’s normal, they symbolize the changing of the guard and, without casting any shadow on “the oldsters”, they are making a name for their cuisine. The chef taking over from Christian Willer, for example, is Christian Sinicropi. Since 2001, everyone had gotten used to this tandem at the Palme d’Or, the gastronomic restaurant at the Martinez. Today, the master has left his place to the pupil who once worked with Ducasse and now manages the hotel’s kitchens solo. Proposing more original presentation than his illustrious elder, he has added to the menu “La Main Tendue” (Iranian caviar) and the “Lapin Fermier en Balançoire” (spit-roasted rabbit coated with mustard and lemon). Founded by a certain Jacques Chibois, the Mirazur has shone since 2006 thanks to the creativity of Mauro Colagreco, an ex-Passard and ex-Ducasse who has turned the place into a laboratory for ideas and research. The restaurant offers an unimpeded view of the Old Town of Menton, while the 30 year-old chef proposes very personal concoctions. He combines, for example, “sanguin” mushrooms with quinoa, and throws grilled “foie gras” into Japanese stock. For the Finn on the Riviera, we only use the Christian name : Jouni. After his “Atelier du Goût”, he inaugurated “Jouni, La Réserve de Nice” this summer. Among his favourite ingredients : artichokes, roquette salad, anchovies and squid. Then everything becomes a matter of agility. The same goes for the pure creations at Don Camillo, proposed by Marc Laville, a self-taught chef with a keen sense of curiosity who offers great surprises such as crab in flaky pastry, crisp shrimps and vegetables tossed in the wok. Sébastien Broda, chef at Le Jarrier in Biot, learnt his trade with Alain Parodi. Lou Cigalon was a very good school, and he was an excellent pupil. He respects basic ingredients and creates daring associations : creamy pumpkin soup with spring onions, brisket baked with Sechuan pepper, leg of poultry stuffed with pan-fried pears and French toast with liver. The one was elected “Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2007”, the other consecrated “Espoir” in the last Michelin Guide. Jean-Denis Rieubland now replaces Bruno Turbot at the Chantecler restaurant at the Negresco Hotel, Christophe Dufau keeps his eye on Les Bacchanales at Tourrettes-sur-Loup. They both belong to this generation of chefs who give priority to their raw materials, without sacrificing their own inventiveness. Laurent Poulet has taken over from Jean-Jacques Jouteux at La Table du Cap in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. This Roannais in his thirties admits his fondness for two ingredients : apples and potatoes. On his menu, you’ll find fillet of John Dory casseroled in fig-leaves from Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, breaded with a pulp of new potatoes, and a sauce flavoured with tarragon. Then as in the case of Jouni, we willingly forget his surname, just remembering Keisuke. At the age of 20, this Japanese cook arrived in France, and seven years later won his first star from the Michelin Guide in his restaurant, now enlarged, minimalist but not really in Japanese style. No more than his cooking, in fact. Guests savour grilled crayfish “ à la plancha”, melting carrots with orange-juice, or red sea bream with tagliatelli and squid. On the other hand, Benjamin Bruno, son of… , has had to make himself a name. Like his father, he prepares infinite variations on the theme of truffles and his restaurant is called “Le Diamant Noir” (Black Diamond). On the far side of the Var, at Les Arcs-sur-Argens, the young Sébastien Sanjou (24 years old) performs with maestria at Le Relais des Moines. In the sacrosanct truffle season, he proposes a menu entirely dedicated to the precious mushroom. Finally, in September, Frédéric Galland took over the restaurant formerly run by Jean-Marc Delacourt. Parcours is now all his ! And he certainly intends to stamp his identity on it. If the decor hasn’t changed, this 28 year-old professional opts for Mediterranean products in the kitchen and prepares them in his own way. Worth discovering…
Carnet
Le Chantecler, Hôtel Negresco, 37 Promenade des Anglais, Nice (04 93 16 64 00). Diamant Noir, 34 rue Beaumont, Nice (04 93 89 69 60). Don Camillo Créations, 5 rue des Ponchettes, Nice (04 93 85 67 95). Jouni, La Réserve, 60 boulevard Franck-Pilatte, Nice (04 97 08 14 80). Keisuke Matsushima, 22 ter rue de France, Nice (04 93 82 26 06). La Palme d’Or, 73 La Croisette, Cannes (04 92 98 74 14). La Table du Cap, 2 avenue Séméria, St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (04 93 76 03 97). Le Jarrier, 30 passage de la Bourgade, Biot (04 93 65 11 68). Le Relais des Moines, route de Sainte-Roseline, Les Arcs-sur-Argens (04 94 47 40 93). Les Bacchanales, 21 Grand Rue, Tourrettes-sur-Loup (04 93 24 19 19). Mirazur, 30 avenue Aristide-Briand, Menton (04 92 41 86 86). Parcours, 1 place Marcel Eusebi, Falicon (04 93 84 94 57).
By Cécile Olivéro
