MARSEILLE, Aug 2 — Over the course of the summer, we're taking you on a guided tour of the best culinary destinations around the world. You've had your fun at the beach, now get yourself cleaned up because you're dining with the hottest chefs of the moment and today, we're headed for the French Riviera.
In Marseille, the chefs compliment the sea
First stop on our culinary tour of the Côte d'Azur: Marseille. The Mediterranean port city is the perfect rendezvous for any gastronome looking for epicurean wonders while on vacation. The list of addresses is long, but if you only have one night to dedicate to the cuisine of Marseille, call up Petit Nice (relax, the restaurant is most definitely in Marseille) for a reservation. The charismatic chef in charge is Gérald Passédat, responsible for a kitchen that has been rewarded with three stars by the Michelin Guide since 2008.
Since you're in Marseille, it would be rude to ignore the port's offerings, especially rockfish, the chef's specialty. Gérald Passédat is one of the best chefs in France when it comes to working with red mullets and other small fish. In fact, in honor of this culinary journey, you should try the chef's interpretation of a traditional bouillabaisse. Listed on his menu as "bouille-abaisse," inspired by the area's old Provençal language, the dish is part of a tasting menu and is comprised of three whole pieces of fish layered on a rockfish soup. One mouthful of this dish and you'll feel one with the sea, tempted to dive into the water from the restaurant's dining area, conveniently located on a rocky stretch overlooking the big blue.
If you're going to extend your stay and really take advantage of the old port, you may wish to book a table with France's youngest Michelin-starred chef, Ludovic Turac, a former contestant on France's version of "Top Chef." At Une table au Sud, the Marseille native represents the new wave of French gastronomy. A member of the Châteaux & Hôtels Collection network of destinations, Turac also has his personal take on the bouillabaisse, the region's most popular dish, and presents a modern take on the traditional fish stew for his signature dish. His crab meat is infused with aromatics and tarragon, local blue lobster is drenched in salted butter and the sea bass is roasted, so that every menu item presented sings the flavors of Provence.
Off to St Tropez
It's now time to pack your bags so you can head off to the next destination, St. Tropez. You aren't here to marvel at the luxurious yachts anchored facing the popular bistros around the port of this glitzy Riviera town though. Instead, it's all about plage de la Bouillabaisse (Bouillabaisse beach), where chef Arnaud Donckele runs the kitchens of Résidence de la Pinède. Donckele was voted chef of the year in 2013, the same year he was bestowed three stars by Michelin for the hotel's La Vague d'Or restaurant. There, your delight will come from filets of roasted sea bream fished from the nearby calanques de l'Esterel, filets of turbot and prawns baked over embers of vine shoots or loin and cheek of sea bass poached in sea water, lemon balm and seaweed.
Last stop: Menton
This culinary journey ends near the Italian border, in Menton, where Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco has succeeded in seducing not only the judges from Michelin and Gault & Millau, but also those of the "50 Best" list. The two-starred chef of the restaurant Mirazur previously worked with renowned chefs Bernard Loiseau, Alain Ducasse and Alain Passard, and their mentoring is evident in the quality of his dishes. Like Passard, his meals are based on the harvest from his garden: tomatoes that taste of truffle, white carrots, blood chard... there are more than 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables coming straight from the ground to the table.
Your culinary itinerary along the French Riviera:
1. Le Petit Nice - Gérald Passédat - Marseille
2. Une Table au Sud - Ludovic Turac - Marseille
3. La Vague d'Or - Arnaud Donckele - Saint-Tropez
4. Mirazur - Mauro Colagreco - Menton — AFP-Relaxnews
