At these tables, you dine directly in the chefs' garden
Often hidden away behind the restaurant, kitchen gardens and other vegetable patches are now open to the public for more intimate gastronomic experiences.
They are the new pantries of many chefs keen to cook locally, such as Glenn Viel at Oustau de Baumanière (Baux-de-Provence) or Mauro Colagreco at Mirazur (Menton). Kitchen gardens, gardens and greenhouses dedicated to herbs are intimate hideaways where these top chefs take the time to smell the aromas and draw inspiration for new culinary ideas, while at the same time offering themselves a sweet interlude while waiting for the next shot. Quiet places that are becoming less and less private thanks to new gastronomic offerings.
These more relaxed formulas promise guests a tenfold sensory experience in the shelter of a field of cherry trees, or nestled close to a rose garden, as in the case of thes of a rose garden, as at Domaine de Fontenille in the Luberon, where chef Guillaume Goupil builds his cuisine around the primary flavors of a brazier.
La Maison Belle Epoque in Épernay
"Spring is the ideal season for pairing champagne with gourmet cuisine. It's a time that favors vegetal flavors, which are deliciously elongated by the floral notes of our Chardonnay," explains Séverine Frerson, cellar manager at Perrier-Jouët. In Épernay, the famous champagne house opened its doors to gourmets in what was once the private residence of Eugène Gallice, brother-in-law and business partner of Charles Perrier, the son of the Champagne label's founding couple. Pierre Gagnaire and chef Sébastien Morellon composed a six-course menu to showcase three Perrier-Jouët cuvées (Blanc de blancs 2012, brut 2014 and rosé 2013). Genuine Rodin adorns the fireplace, original painting by Toulouse-Lautrec, intact furniture by Louis Majorelle...
While the Maison Belle Epoque is a museum in itself, housing Europe's largest private collection of art nouveau, head to the garden for an even more intimate gastronomic experience. Faced with the greenhouse where chef Morellon grows his herbs, and plantings arranged according to an English typology, the springtime score becomes all the more evident. By reservation, this gastronomic offer is available for lunch on weekdays at 350 euros per person.
- Where? 26 Avenue de Champagne, 51200 Épernay
- www.perrier-jouët.com
Le Cortil at Clos des Sens in Annecy
The fresh grass tickling your ankles, the scent of citrus sage titillating your nostrils, and the view of the Bauges massif inviting you to introspection... A dinner at Le Cortil, the ephemeral summer table in Annecy, France.A dinner at Le Cortil, the short-lived summer restaurant of Le Clos des Sens (3 toques), is an interlude that awakens all the senses. Tables are set directly in the restaurant's larder, its 1,500 m² garden. The experience is unadorned, as is the permaculture of nature, with its 160 varieties of fruit, vegetables and flowers, as well as 40 species of herbs.
We connect with the primary elements with a wood-fired kitchen concocted by two resident chefs, Lisa Gutzwiller and Nina Kamoun. Le Cortil (meaning garden in Savoyard dialect) is open every evening for dinner, except Wednesdays, from May 30 until the end of summer (when the weather is fine).
- Where? 13 Rue Jean Mermoz, 74940 Annecy
- closdessens.com
Matthieu Cellard
De Puta Madre in Biarritz
French-English chef Luke Cockerill returns to the Villa Magnan, or rather his gardening boots, to concoct the De Puta Madre offering, already applauded last year for the quality of its ingredients and its raw apple cuisine. While Cockerill reinvests the greenhouse that houses the ovens, diners take their seats under the trees where the dining room has been set up. There's no fear of getting wet in the event of rain, as custom-built green scaffolding blends in with the vegetation to provide lunch and dinner. "We only perform one service, there is no table turnover, so customers have time to enjoy their dinner or lunch in the restaurant, without being pushed out the door" explain owners Anne and Jérôme Israël of this magnificent mansion, former property of the Spanish royal family. "Guests can spend time before or after their meal, settled on the long banquettes or garden chairs".
Good news: you don't need to have booked a room at Villa Magnan to discover chef Luke Cockrill's cuisine. A tasting menu costs 85 euros for dinner and 45 euros for lunch. Open from May 31 to June 16, Thursday to Saturday evenings, Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes, then from June 18 to September 15, Tuesday to Saturday evenings, Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes.
- Where? 13 Rue de Mouriscot, 64200 Biarritz
- www.deputamadre-biarritz.com
Le Bistrot Martin at Domaine de Primard in Guainville
Don't call him Octave, call him Martin. At Domaine de Primard, Romain Meder has passed the torch to Géraud Dupuis to concoct the bistrot's accessible menu. On the menu: "White asparagus, mayonnaise trilogy, tarragon sabayon", "guinea fowl supreme, smoked polenta, morels" or "homemade gnocchi, sage, orange"... Thehe former assistant head chef at Domaine de Fontenille is now making his mark in the orchard, where when fine weather arrives, tables are set out in the shade of apple and cherry trees. A more relaxed invitation to make yourself at home in what was once Catherine Deneuve's home. Unless, for a special occasion, you'd prefer to book into the Primard greenhouse, beautifully situated in the heart of the estate's rose garden. Here, you can enjoy breakfast, dinner or tea.
- Where? D16, 28260 Guainville
- www.lesdomainesdefontenille.com
La Chassagnette in Arles
Eggplants, peppers, shiso and even mangoes and bananas... In the middle of the Camargue nature park, Armand Arnal has devoted no less than three hectares to his plantations to supply his vegetable dishes. Under the pergola, or even better at this table slightly off-center from the rest of the outdoor dining room, as close as possible to the shoots, the flavors of a meal in this former sheepfold converted into a successful gourmet restaurant are multiplied tenfold by the proximity of the chef's vegetable garden-verger.
After dessert, you'll love getting lost in the maze of alleys, all the way to the surprising tropical greenhouse where you can get close to papaya, black pepper and even vanilla!
- Where to visit? Mas de la Chassagnette, D36 Route Sambuc, 13200 Arles
- www.chassagnette.fr
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