Alexandre Mazzia in 5 dishes: emotion rather than perfection

A chef in a class of his own, a poet of taste and texture, Alexandre Mazzia doesn't compose dishes, he sculpts emotions. With him, every bite is a sensory shock, an intimate resonance. in Marseille, his AM restaurant (5 toques) is a laboratory of the senses, where flavors are not told, they are felt.

When asked about five dishes that have marked his career, he doesn't respond with a fixed list, or a technical demonstration. He talks about vibrations, memories, colors. He also talks about encounters, between a product and a memory, a sensation and a cooking gesture. At Alexandre Mazzia, there are no signature dishes, only suspended moments.

Here, then, are five fragments of a universe, five bursts of instinct that speak volumes about his approach: a cuisine that is free, inhabited and in perpetual motion.

The dish he's most proud of: not pride, but emotion

For Alexandre Mazzia, pride isn't measured in signature dishes or successful plates. It lies elsewhere. "There's no dish that I'm proud of, strictly speaking. What I'm looking for is to evoke feelings, emotions. More than taste, it's the inner echo that interests him. A mouthful that recalls a voice, a smell, a suspended moment. "What's wonderful is the timelessness of these sensations."

What made his career: mind-blowing chords

If he had to single out a turning point in his career, it would be less a dish than a turning point. "It's not one dish in particular, but a whole. It's the moods, the energy, the atmosphere that have left their mark." Nevertheless, some daring pairings have left a lasting impression. Smoked eel with chocolate. Raspberry with harissa. Unexpected associations, sometimes disconcerting, but which have given rise to a signature. "These are combinations that still appeal today."

A dish in homage to a memory: chocolate as memory

For Alexandre Mazzia, memory is never static. They are fluid, sensory, alive. And it's often chocolate that's the vehicle. "It embodies my grandparents. It's a nod to my roots, to my childhood memories", explains the chef, who was born and raised in the Republic of Congo. At AM, chocolate mingles with iodine, salt and the unexpected: like the fish associated with chocolate, which destabilizes while taking us back home. "It's a way of paying homage to them through the kitchen", a discreet but emotionally-charged transmission.

The most popular dish: dishes that leave a different impression on everyone

At AM, there's no such thing as a cult dish. Rather, there are pivotal moments, unique to each customer. "Some still remember the langoustine with manioc, others the almond with mussel. These compositions speak to the body, more than to the brain. "What's important is the trace left behind, rather than the recipe itself.

His latest creations: the impulse of the present

An insatiable creator, Alexandre Mazzia continues to explore, recompose and blur the lines. His latest creation is a perfect reflection of this: crousti-moule, a manioc crisp topped with a sardine rillette, accompanied by a nasturtium leaf and fresh herb targue powder. added to this is a miso pea jus with marinara mussel cream, knife juice and grilled red mullet. Proof that the chef's creativity knows no bounds!