Jérôme Banctel explores plants with a very special cooking method
For the first time in Paris, Gabriel's chef creates an all-vegetable menu. Jérôme Banctel shapes the score using a unique cooking technique.
In the hushed salons of Gabriel (4 toques), the gourmet restaurant of La Réserve Paris, Jérôme Banctel opens a new chapter in his cuisine. Known for his rigorous approach and taste for experimentation, the chef has taken things a step further by devoting an entire menu to plants for the first time. Called "Chemin végétal en habit de chaux", this seven-course meal offers a radical interpretation of the product, thanks to a rare cooking technique.
Lime cooking as a common thread
The story goes back to 2010. On a trip to Istanbul, Jérôme Banctel discovered the uses of lime in certain traditional preparations. The idea of turning this practice on its head then took root in the chef's mind. Often confined to confectionery, this cooking technique has gradually found its way onto the Gabriel chef's plates, with discreet touches.
With his "Chemin végétal", Jérôme Banctel now structures an entire menu with lime cooking, which acts on textures, tightens flesh and concentrates flavors. As a result, the chef's vegetables gain in intensity, from firm to melt-in-the-mouth, without ever losing sight of the essential: taste.
An ode to the seasons
The menu follows the rhythm of the seasons. For this first edition, spring imposes its colors with titles of apparent simplicity: watermelon carpaccio, gazpacho fennel, horseradish; white asparagus, creamy avocado, lemon olive condiment; or sand carrot, tangy ginger.
Available for lunch and dinner until August 2026, this seven-course menu (310 euros) is a radical vegetal proposal from Jérôme Banctel, who, as so often, offers a demanding and singular score.
- Where to eat? La réserve, 42 avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris
- Price: €310
- See Gault&Millau's review of Le Gabriel - La Réserve Paris Hotel and Spa
