Mathieu Croze’s Royal Hare

We’ll still have to wait until 2027 to return to the tables at Le Chat-Botté, but its chef clearly has no intention of staying out of the spotlight. On October 24, Mathieu Croze claimed the title of world champion in Lièvre à la royale in Romorantin-Lanthenay, France. And as if that weren’t enough, he also took home the Press Prize.

Shredded Hare

Competing against eight other contestants before a jury chaired by two-Michelin-starred chef Christophe Bacquié, Mathieu Croze presented his take on this great classic of French cuisine. The dish, in which the sauce plays a central role, was served with braised cabbage topped with shredded hare, foie gras, and porcini mushrooms—the latter of which were required ingredients for the competition.

At the helm of the kitchens at Le Chat-Botté since September 2023, the French chef—who has made Geneva his home—is now taking on a new challenge: shaping the restaurant’s new culinary identity at the Beau-Rivage, which is set to reopen in 2027. While we wait to see his dishes back in Geneva, here’s an accolade that certainly doesn’t lack panache.