SHANGHAI, Oct 11 — For pioneering the concept of a theatrical dining experience at his Shanghai restaurant Ultraviolet, French chef Paul Pairet has been named restaurateur of the year by French dining guide Les Grandes Tables du Monde.
While some restaurants are for dining, a select few offer deeper, more memorable gastronomic experiences that engage all the senses, says group president David Sinapian.
There is, perhaps, no better literal example of this than Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, a dining experience specially conceived to send diners on an immersive gastronomic journey. A Michelin-starred menu is accompanied by a musical soundtrack, scent diffusers, light shows and digital images that take the concept of dinner and a show to a whole new level.
Pairet was one of the big winners of the 64th annual awards ceremony from the French group which, roughly translated to English, means the best dining rooms in the world.
Though the dining guide includes international addresses, this year's big winners skewed heavily French.
For the first time, the title of world's best restaurant pastry chef went to a woman, Christelle Brua, head pastry chef at the Michelin-starred Paris restaurant Pré Catelan.
Brua is praised for her unpretentious creations that prioritise taste. Her signature dessert is, for example, simply called The Apple, and is made with a “crispy” souffle, caramel ice cream, cider and sparkling sugar.
Brua succeeds Instagram star pastry chef Cedric Grolet, who took the title last year.
The awards ceremony took place in Marrakech recently.
Les Grandes Tables du Monde dining guide currently features 174 restaurants in 25 countries. — AFP-Relaxnews
