A double for Olivier
It was Olivier Jean’s tears that made the 2024 vintage of the Michelin Guide ceremony so much more human. These tears symbolize all the sacrifices that this profession imposes in order to achieve such rigor and excellence. Those tears of intense joy that, in a fraction of a second, transcend a being to the very depths of his being. Those uncontrollable tears that condense into an explosion of emotion a whole life’s journey of nearly two decades. The moment was truly unexpected, so spontaneous was the reaction!
Humility and rigor
With life almost back to normal in the corridors of the Geneva palace, Olivier Jean is back in his red-and-black gourmet den on the shores of Lake Geneva. The interviews are pouring in, the subjects are pouring out. The ransom of fame, no doubt. The chef is quick to put things into perspective. He knows better than anyone that the work has only just begun, and that this rigor and pressure are indispensable from the very first service. A striking professional paradox, while the imprint of this award is still fresh.
Still wearing his traditional black kitchen jacket, he greets guests seated at the counter imagined two decades earlier by his sadly departed mentor. Before long, the ever-changing chef is back behind his beloved counter, joining a brigade committed to the cause of goodness, beauty and respect for the product. The roasted langoustine with Paimpol coconut and celery and its sabayon are soul-stirring in their elegance and that touch of generosity… justly coral.
A real map
The menu at l’Atelier Joël Robuchon remains impressive in the face of trends in haute gastronomy that dictate a single menu, leaving diners no choice when ordering. A counter-current approach for this restaurant, which advocates the freedom to select combinations according to one’s desires. The fillet of turbot poached with verbena, sea lettuce stew and cockles and razor clams marvels at its nobility as much as its taste and cooking. A gourmet touch with a refined beurre blanc.
As Titouan Claudet, the in-house pastry chef, charms us with his mouth-watering desserts, it’s admiration for this profession that bursts forth between two spoonfuls of his sweet chestnut creation, such as a coupe ardéchoise, chestnut cookie, vanilla-scented quince jelly and meringue case. A work of passion, but also a profession where self-sacrifice can rhyme with obsession. Olivier Jean is already hammering it home… the battle to keep up is only just beginning.
