Virginie Basselot's 5 creations that tell her story
Virginie Basselot, chef at Le Chantecler restaurant in Nice's Le Negresco hotel, reveals herself in five emblematic dishes that perfectly reflect her world.
at the helm of Le Chantecler (3 toques), the gastronomic restaurant of the legendary Hôtel Le Negresco, Virginie Basselot embodies a cuisine that is both sunny and technical, deeply rooted in the terroir. Originally from Normandy, she trained with some of the world's greatest chefs, and was awarded the Gault&Millau d'Or 2024, a distinction that salutes her exacting standards and sensitivity.
Although the chef now works in an enchanting setting, she still evokes a memory that is anchored in her gustatory memory: her father's tarte tatin, which even won a competition in Vimoutiers. "It's a dessert I also had to work on during the Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition, with quince", recalls Virginie Basselot, crowned MOF in 2025.
While the chef does not currently offer tarte tatin on her menu, she does not rule out working with it again soon. In the meantime, the young woman reveals five seminal dishes that tell her personal story in the kitchen.
The dish that marked a turning point: pearly cod back, lemon balm butter and Japanese pearls
This was one of her first signature dishes, created when she was at the Saint James. A back of pearly cod, served with a butter infused with lemon balm - abundant in the restaurant's garden - and Japanese pearls. "It was a technical dish," explains the chef. The Japanese pearls are not there by chance: "It was a souvenir of my grandmother, who used them in soups", an association between gastronomic rigor and intimate memory. The dish remains on the menu all year round, proof that a signature is often born of the obvious.
The dish she can't take off the menu: Wild Mediterranean sea bass tartare, Giol oysters, Sologne caviar
A fixture at the Negresco since her arrival, this dish has become a must. "Some customers come just for it," assures Virginie Basselot. Mediterranean bass is served as tartare, enhanced by Giol oysters and the delicacy of a Normandy cream. The whole is enhanced by Sologne caviar.we're really into the elegance of caviar," she says, "it's what you see first." In the preparation, she even draws an evocation of the Negresco logo, as a discreet wink. An iodized, vibrant dish, it embodies Nice's seaside while recalling her Norman roots. "These are flavors I love."
The dish she's particularly proud of: Mediterranean sea bass, criste-marine steam, broth and zucchini flower fritter
In June 2025, Nice hosted the United Nations Ocean Conference. for the occasion, Virginie Basselot took part in the state dinner organized for 200 guests. She came up with a dish entirely dedicated to the region: Mediterranean sea bass, criste-marine, broth and fritters of zucchini flower, basil and Nice olives. A sunny visual, exclusively local products. "It's a dish that represents the region, the city of Nice", she stresses. It's a dish that represents the region, the city of Nice", she stresses, "and it's been very well received, even by the presidential couple. Created especially for the event, it could return to the menu every summer.
The dish born of a challenge: Viennoise of pigeon, butternut mousseline and stuffed Brussels sprouts
Here's a dish born of the challenge of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition. The pigeon Viennoise accompanied her through weeks of intensive testing."When you do the MOF, you do a lot of trials, you eat the same dish for a bit over a fortnight... so it has to be good," she laughs. And this one was. "The chef reworks it regularly, having fun with technique and gourmandise: recently with a butternut mousseline with foie gras and stuffed and braised Brussels sprouts, almost reconstructed.
The must-have dessert: Champsoleil olive oil, light cream, orange blossom ice cream, pure Venezuelan chocolate
Virginie Basselot readily admits that she's "not much for desserts". Yet this one is a must at Chantecler. Her idea: to create a year-round dessert that's both light and distinctive. Using olive oil from Nice (Champsoleil), orange blossom water from Grasse and pure chocolate from Venezuela. The olive oil becomes a delicate creaminess, the orange blossom an airy sorbet.
Visually, thin sheets of moving chocolate add elegance and relief. A dash of olive oil completes the dish. A sunny, easy-to-serve dessert that sums up his cuisine: precise, grounded, luminous.
