Christian Le Squer's personal kitchen

With consistency and humility, Christian Le Squer delighted gourmets the world over at the Pavillon Ledoyen for a decade, before exploding in the media following his successful transfer to Le Cinq at the George V Hotel in October 2014. Today, at the pinnacle of his art in a prestigious palace, the Breton chef continues to deliver magnificent cuisine, supported in the dining room by a team brilliantly led by Éric Beaumard, an incredible sommelier as much as a great room manager. This widely acclaimed French and international recognition has not made the chef's head swell. Like a Breton menhir, he keeps his feet on the ground and continues to create gourmet recipes, even at home. At his home, he still welcomes the same group of friends for joyful dinners punctuated by a few exceptional bottles, starting with champagne, from a small cellar filled with well-chosen bottles. Now that the children are away from home, meals with friends have replaced family dinners, but always with warmth and simplicity, says the chef, who appreciates a certain casualness in human relations.

His apartment, in a corner of Paris's sixteenth arrondissement, close to the Musée Marmottan, features a large, light-filled room overlooking a garden, which combines kitchen and living room in the same space. The result is a highly functional, sober living space. On the Miele-equipped kitchen side, near the wine cellar, you'll find a large fridge, a wall-mounted oven and microwave combo, a large granite table with induction hob topped by a hyper-design hood, a handful of drawers holding dry goods, crockery, etc., and on the walls some beautiful culinary photos: starters, main courses, chef's desserts, to whet the appetite. It's only a short step from the open-plan kitchen to the living room. On the floor, an oak parquet installed by his cabinet-maker father, who did all the joinery, furniture and cupboards, and the bookcase featuring chefs' books, his Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite diploma, Escoffier's culinary guide, the Larousse gastronomique, and CDs by Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Lana del Rey and others. "We spend so many hours in our kitchens that we have to find time to relax, especially with books and music," says the chef.

The art of having a good time

On weekends, Christian Le Squer entertains his friends. He dons his Breton-style apron and gets down to work, chatting with his friends. "I only work with casseroles, long cooking times, which means I'm always available for my guests: shoulder of lamb, duck stew... tasty dishes that are easy to control. For starters, I prefer fish with coarse salt: salmon, sea bass, swimming, skewered, diced, served with horseradish - I love horseradish. Starters are always served with a small salad. If I prepare a dessert, it's made in the oven: crumble, apples, always very simple. If I'm alone with my wife, fish is king of the table. I'm a native of Plouhinec in Morbihan, which may explain why. And I never forget cheese. I stock up on it at 'Aux Bons fromages', 64 rue de La Pompe, in the sixteenth arrondissement of Paris," says Christian Le Squer calmly as he slices his salmon, preceded by a few slices of rosette and black pudding (dense and tasty!). In front of his workbench, the movements are precise and poised, those of a craftsman passionate about his craft, who, in front of his ovens at home as well as at Le Cinq , always maintains this respect for the product and the precision of the cooking, with the aim of offering his guests an unforgettable moment at the table. In doing so, he perpetuates the sacred rules of hospitality in style.