Nicolas AUJAY

Chef : 1 restaurant A regular at upscale restaurants, chef Nicolas Aujay is at the helm of Miura, an attractive restaurant in Paris's 17th arrondissement, where tradition blends with Asian and Spanish flavors.

Presentation

Nicolas Aujay was predestined for a career in law, but during his undergraduate year in Rouen, the student realized he was on the wrong track. "I realized it when I was preparing meals for my friends", so he made a radical change and decided to devote himself to his passion. Motivated, he enrolled at the Maxim's International School in Paris, with a view to obtaining a BTS.

The apprentice did his first internship with luxury caterer Érisay Réceptions, in Normandy, before moving on to Cazaudehore, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines). In 2009, he joined Gilles Épié's team at Citrus Étoile, a stone's throw from the Arc de Triomphe. The jet-set darling appointed him Executive Chef in 2013. "After a few years, it was time to take flight," says Nicolas Aujay, who leaves the establishment in 2019 to found his own, a stone's throw away, which he christens Miura. The restaurant takes its name from a Spanish farm that raises bulls.

"I knew the neighborhood's clientele well, which was made up in part of business tourists. To make them feel welcome, the chef-owner opted for a subdued Art Deco-style decor. He offers gourmet cuisine tinged with Asian touches, inspired by the chefs he worked with in his early days at Citrus Étoile, but also Hispanic, in reference to miuras. "Despite this, our signature dishes remain firmly rooted in French tradition, such as sweetbreads and foie gras ravioles. "

B. G.