Maxime Bouttier opens Ethanol, his new Parisian address

Following the successful opening of Géosmine (2 toques) in 2023, chef Maxime Bouttier has signed a new Parisian address: Ethanol. Located on the corner of rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud and rue de la Folie-Méricourt, just thirty meters from his gourmet restaurant, this new venue will open in early February.

Mathilde Bourge Published today at 2:14 PM

It's a project that has matured without haste, as the chef confides: "I hadn't planned to open a second business, because when you're everywhere, you're nowhere", he thinks at first. Already heavily involved in Geosmine, Maxime Bouttier was nevertheless nurturing the desire to create a different, more spontaneous place, inspired by the places he personally loves: "a place like the ones I like to go to, where you eat quality food, not too expensive and drink well, in a cool place."

An address steeped in history, redesigned with character

Ethanol is housed in one of Paris's oldest cobbler's workshops, which remained in operation for 45 years. An opportunity the chef didn't pass up. The two-storey premises also offer office space upstairs, a decisive factor in his decision.

The renovation was thought through down to the last detail. Maxime Bouttier designed a bespoke stove with Marrone, chose traditional South of France terracotta tiles, a worked wooden ceiling, limewashed walls and a corten steel façade. The result is a warm, raw decor in keeping with the spirit of the place, with large bay windows opening onto the street in fine weather.

A Spanish-style wine bar, without reservations

Ethanol defines itself as a Spanish-style wine bar, where people come to drink as much as to eat. Between 5pm and 7pm, people meet for a drink and a plate of cold meats; from 7pm onwards, Ethanol becomes a real restaurant. All without reservation, in a lively atmosphere enlivened by music and the movement of the room.

A five-category menu, between tradition and freedom

The culinary offering is structured around five main categories. Seafood takes center stage, with homemade fish charcuterie, sardine toast, fine anchovies and bottarga. A second "cured meats" offer features charcuterie products, mostly from southern Spain, renowned for their excellence.

The cheese section is entrusted to Chez Virginie, a third-generation cheese ripener based in Paris 18ᵉ, who ripens her cheeses in her own cellars. Desserts revisit the classics with gourmet flair: chocolate mousse inspired by Géosmine, saffron egg cream, rice pudding or pistachio crème brûlée.

Finally, a more cooked section allows the chef to express an expertise different from that of Géosmine: chicken broth, croque-monsieur with ham and exceptional Comté cheese, lobster à la flamme, entrecôte à partager or banh mi... "I'll do everything here that I can't do at Géosmine", he sums up.

A place for pleasure, above all

Ethanol is not intended to be a showroom. Here, the objective is clear: pleasure, taste and conviviality. High-quality products, worked to the highest standards but without ostentation, in a free and accessible spirit.

With Ethanol, Maxime Bouttier extends his culinary universe while opening up a new terrain of expression, more instinctive, more lively, in the image of this district of the 11ᵉ arrondissement that he continues to invest with coherence and personality.