restaurant_drouant
Remise du Prix Goncourt INTERVIEW
 


Remise du Prix Goncourt

  
  Why did you want to take over an establishment like Drouant ?
 
"Since my first experience in Paris with “Mon Vieil Ami”, I was looking for another place. You know that a business transaction is first and foremost a human affair; and the common understanding with the Elior group was good from start to finish. But what I am also interested in is the challenge of taking over an emblematic establishment."

  How are you going to share your time between Strasbourg and Paris ?
 


"How do other people manage this? … I don’t have a particular development strategy; for me, the development works itself out whenever confidence is running high. This means people. I need the right people in the right places of course. After that, things need to be well organized."

  Who is going to take care of the Buerehiesel in Strasbourg ?
 
"My chef Fabrice, to interpret my cuisine. My son Eric, for overall coordination. And myself, for the creative work and for trying out new recipes."

  You have changed the decoration at Drouant ?
 
"I called on Pascal Desprez who also worked on “Mon Vieil Ami”. He is first an architect, and then an interior decorator. I like the way that he enhances the use of space, his consistency and his feeling for harmony. He knows how to transform an entire space into a decor that suffices in and of itself, a work of art in a certain way. He hasn’t neglected the past; he has integrated it in his creative reflection, which is what I wanted. And he knows me well; he’s a friend."

  What type of cuisine are you doing at Drouant ? 
 
"uisine revisiting French products and traditions. I derive real pleasure from working with appetizers, which for me are a strong symbol of festiveness at the table in France. If there is something I have constantly tried to do, it is to strive to communicate my vision of conviviality at the table, to serve a generous cuisine, in a warm and friendly atmosphere."

  Why have you chosen this type of cuisine, especially in a place like Drouant ?
 
"The reputation of Drouant’s restaurant was made on the quality of the products that people found there, and especially on the oysters. It was a place where people liked to celebrate. A lot of famous patrons throughout history speak of their memories at the table “chez Drouant”. There were common points between the memories of Drouant and the cuisine that I wanted to express."

 

Have you kept the personnel of Drouant ?
 
"Yes, it was important to me to keep those who make the memory of the place. I have organized a trip to Strasbourg so that we can get to know each other, a lunch at the Buerehiesel and a little tourism, followed by a lunch at “Mon Vieil Ami” on the Ile Saint Louis. I have audited the staff and I must say that this is a terrific team !"
Drouant 16-18, place Gaillon. F-75002 Paris Tél : +33 1 42 65 15 16 - Fax : + 33 1 49 24 02 15 - E-mail : reservations@drouant.com
SAS Drouant au capital de 800.000 euros, TVA Intracommunautaire : FR 30342355492 , RCS : Paris 342355492