45

Arpège

Paris

An iconic Parisian restaurant inspiring innovation

On the Pass

Alain Passard

Quel surprise: Though most restaurants of its ilk lean into all that is predictable and precise, chef Alain Passard and the team at Arpège conspire to create an experience that is anything but. Ruled by seasonality, and taking advantage of ingredients at their best, this is an off-the-cuff approach to fine dining, that, at times, even deviates from the menu. The result is a distinct, immersive and engaging experience with every visit.

Plant-powered: Famously removing meat from the menu before it was popular and fondly referred to as the 'maestro' of vegetarian cuisine, Passard caused a small revolution while making non-meat eaters very happy. While some protein has since crept back into some dishes since his 2001 announcement, the stars of the menu are undoubtedly vegetables and plant-based ingredients. The mostly animal-free dishes lend themselves to adaptations to accommodate dietary requirements which still isn’t as common as it should be in the realm of fine dining.

Home grown: The fresh produce that forms the backbone of the dishes served at Arpège is harvested daily and delivered from Passard’s three biodynamic and organic farms and kitchen gardens just outside of Paris. Not only do they supply the restaurant and cut down on food miles, they also support a rich ecosystem of local wildlife. Nothing is refrigerated for long periods of time. The produce is picked by a team of gardeners and served or sold that day in order to preserve the true integrity of each ingredient.

Contact