Christophe Cussac X Jeremy Maxwell Wintrebert: a chef, an artist, a collab

As you take a seat at the new Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac restaurant, your eye will inevitably be drawn not only to the beauty of the newly renovated premises, but also to a very special element set before you... A work of art with unique curves and round shapes, none other than the blown-glass presentation plate designed by Franco-American artist Jeremy Maxwell Wintrebert, especially for the establishment. Gault&Millau wanted to know more about this unique piece, how it came about and how the two men came together.

Why did you decide to work together?

Christophe Cussac: We called on a Parisian company to design all our tableware: Studio Cé. Célia Jourdheuil and Aurélie Lapierre acted as matchmakers to find the best craftsmen. I wanted a unique, incredible presentation plate, and that's when they suggested the work of Jeremy Maxwell Wintrebert.

Jeremy Maxwell Wintrebert : We'd never met and I'd never had the opportunity to taste Christophe Cussac's cuisine, but I knew he was a great technician and a lover of authenticity. In talking with him, I discovered just how much the quest for simplicity unites us.

How did you come up with this presentation plate?

C.C.: I didn't give him any precise instructions, as I felt that each of us had his own speciality: me cooking and him the art of the table. We simply gave them the concept of the kitchen, with its Mediterranean influence, and also sent them images of the restaurant's renovation, so that they could see the color of the walls, ceiling, chairs, crockery.. .

J.M.W.: I received a moodboard. The idea was to present rather natural shades. I was guided by the absolute importance of the material. Sculpting glass without a mold, by mouth and freehand, is essential to let the material express itself. With these plates, I wanted everyone to perceive its qualities: its elasticity, transparency and liquidity. The liquid glass first takes the form of a bubble. It then folds in on itself and I shape it. The final touch is to shape the plate.

©MiraMira

How did yougo about presenting the plate?

C.C.: Jeremy came and showed us a prototype. When he presented it to us, it was a "shock" - I wasn't expecting it. It's a very special plate. I needed a moment to think about it, and now I love it! I couldn't imagine another plate on the table. When you fall in love at first sight, you can quickly get bored. In this case, I was holding back at first, but I've grown to love it. The most fabulous thing about all this is that we have 70 plates, but each one is unique because it's made entirely by hand. In the restaurant, we tell our customers the story behind the plate, and they usually buy into it completely, even though we know it won't appeal to everyone because it's so unique.

Does working with a chef/artist impose any constraints?

C.C.: Célia Jourdheuil and Aurélie Lapierre from Studio Cé were the intermediaries, so we didn't really experience the constraints of collaboration. They were the link between us and all the craftsmen. For us, the experience was nothing but positive, because we wanted to work with independent artisans rather than the big houses with whom all restaurants collaborate .

J.M.W.: For me, the main constraint was technical, as I don't usually make plates. Folding is difficult, even chaotic. The glass is very thin, which requires a great deal of technical skill. It took several tests to tame the material and obtain a uniform result across the sixty or so plates. This required research into gesture, breath and form.

StudioPhenix, ©MiraMira

What do you retain from this collaboration?

C.C.: I fell inlove with Jeremy. First of all as a man, because we had a great exchange of views, and we're both fairly discreet people, focused on our work. I'd also like to mention the discovery aspect, because I didn't really know anything about glassblowing, at least not for plates, and I'm delighted.

J.M.W .: It was a great meeting with the chef, with whom I talked a lot. It was a mirror between our two worlds with shared values: craftsmanship, know-how, quality and simplicity are terms that resonate with us. The project also brought me back to what I knew in my apprenticeship, with the reproductive aspect, the repetition of gesture. It's quite enjoyable when you like technique .

If this collaboration has inspired you to dine at Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac, you can find the Gault&Millau review and all the practical information on the page for this fine address.