In a 2016* profile of the Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse at the Hotel Le Meurice in Paris, France our team described their lunch as follows, “Our multi-course meal was well prepared, artfully presented and served with care and attention to detail. The memorable dining room, elegant setting and amenities and attentive and friendly service enhanced our experience.”
Earlier this year we contacted media relations for Alain Ducasse in search of post pandemic updates. A representative of the well known chef’s communications team referred us to the rue de Rivoli hotel for updates. Solene Duchez, communications and press relations assistant, Le Meurice, responded to our questions via email. It is Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse, she explained via email. Below are our questions and her answers (edited for brevity and clarity).
LTR: Are you welcoming international travelers?
SD: Yes
LTR: A number of travel business across the globe shut down or reduced their offerings post pandemic. What can you share regarding your company and Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse, Paris in 2023?
SD: There is no longer any impact of the pandemic on hotel and restaurant occupancy.
LTR: What, if any, policies and safeguards do you have in response to Covid-19?
SD: As the previous question, there is no longer any impact of the pandemic on hotel and restaurant occupancy.
LTR: Are guests dining at the restaurant required to show proof of vaccination, negative Covid-19 tests, wear a mask or take any other measures?
SD: No
LTR: Are there any condition(s) affecting facilities, guests amenities, and safe and comfortable enjoyment of a meal at the restaurant?
SD: Can you precise the question?
LTR: Any updates to your menu, restaurant and services you care to share.
SD: there is a lot of update to make on the website (she refers to the restaurant profile).
Chef Jocelyn Herland has left and has been replaced by Chef Amaury Bouhours.
Executive Chef: Amaury Bouhours under the supervision of Alain Ducasse since 2020.
Handicapped access: Yes
Head Sommelier: Gabriel Veissaire
Restaurant Manager: Olivier Bikao – During his four years of studies at Ferrandi, Olivier Bikao, born in Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine), built up a great deal of experience. Starting with an apprenticeship at Les Vendanges restaurant in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. Followed by a second apprenticeship sequence with Alain Ducasse, firstly at Marcel then at the Publicis Drugstore and lastly, for two years, at the restaurant Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée, the top-of-the-line address where, with Denis Courtiade, he learnt all about the demands of a three-star restaurant. In 2010, he pursued his career alongside Frédéric Vardon for the opening of the 39V as Chef de Rang, before serving as Manager from 2015 to 2020. In October 2020, he moved on to Le Meurice – Alain Ducasse as Manager. Olivier is the Ambassador for the “Ô service des talents de demain” association which focusses on transmitting knowledge and promoting the front-of-house professions. He is a member of the extended board of the “Trophée du maître d’hôtel” and administrator of the “Croq’l’espoir” association which supports children with health issues, through gastronomy-related initiatives.
Executive chef: After his studies at the Soissons Hospitality School, Amaury secured an internship at the Louis XV – Alain Ducasse, in Monaco, in 2008. For the young 18-year-old, the experience was crucial: “I had always wanted to work in haute cuisine restaurants. But there, all of a sudden, I was leaping from dream to reality and that was when everything really clicked into place”. It was also the beginning of his discovery of the Ducassian cuisine, of precision and exceptional produce. Alain Ducasse quickly recognised this promising young beginner’s potential. So here was Amaury setting off in 2009 as commis in the Restaurant Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée, in Paris. He stayed there for six years, successively under the direction of Christophe Moret, Christophe Saintagne then Romain Meder.
New establishment, new and significant encounters: “the rhythm was really intense, but that enabled me to save an untold amount of time. I really learnt about every aspect of cooking, from respect for the produce through to the ideal cooking method and the ideal seasoning.” He quickly rose to the position of Head Chef de Partie then Junior Sous-Chef. He then joined Adrien Trouilloud as Sous-Chef at Lasserre: “I learnt a great deal with Adrien too, notably regarding sauces and rotisserie, areas in which he excels”. In 2016, Amaury joined Le Meurice – Alain Ducasse as Jocelyn Herland’s assistant Chef de Cuisine. When the latter left in June 2020, it was quite natural that Alain Ducasse should entrust the reins of the establishment to Amaury: “If I chose Amaury, it was because he has the potential to embody a new stage in the life of the restaurant at Le Meurice.”
The restaurant offered two menu options for dinner: The collection menu for €360 per person excluding drinks and the Discovery menu for €300 per person excluding drinks. In these menus, the guest is free to choose his dishes, guided by the restaurant manager.
Since 2022, the Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse has received the Ecotable label, a sustainable label. It is the first palace restaurant to have this label. For more information: ecotable.fr/en/ecotables/le-meurice-alain-ducasse-rivoli-etoile-paris-hotel-gastronomique
*Under normal circumstances our articles are based exclusively on the experiences and photography of our contributors at a destination and voyage. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic we have halted travel. For those ready to travel now we are offering limited updates about destinations, properties and restaurants we featured in the past and whose representatives have responded to our questions and requests for updates. This series of updates began in 2021.
