20 years at the helm ofAuguste, 15 years crowned with a star- figures that would make anyone blush. Gaël Orieux is one of the most discreet Michelin-starred chefs in Paris, yet for two decades he has been developing a bold, personal cuisine, a subtle blend of French traditions and world flavors, in his restaurant in the Varenne district, a stone's throw from the Rodin Museum and the French ministries.
This lover of the sea, a "Breton at heart" and scuba-diving enthusiast, learned his trade with some of the greatest, between classicism and avant-gardism - Paul Bocuse, Alain Senderens and Yannick Alléno at Le Meurice to name but a few. Since 2004, he has been showcasing the finest French produce on an ever-changing menu. Not a week goes by when he isn't thinking up new creations, or pursuing his battles, particularly that of sustainable fishing.
But while the chef is a fervent advocate of healthier fishing practices, and seafood has pride of place on the menu atAuguste - a name inherited from Auguste Escoffier - the Michelin-starred restaurant isn't just about fish, and the chef takes just as much pleasure in cooking earthy produce and fine meats.
Like this crispy sweetbread with peanuts (58€), morels, dried apricots and Jura wine, one of the best sweetbreads we've ever had - it's one of our favorite products, so we know what we're talking about. The rest of our lunch is spent in the depths of the sea: declensions of green and white asparagus, frogs and smoked eel (48€) of infinite delicacy, roasted langoustines, ravioli with old parmesan, iodized rice foam and avocado (54€), and a marvelous turbot, peas with crab, morels with fruity condiment (52€).
The tastes are straightforward, the products respected and magnified, the iodine present without overdoing it. These seafood and meat dishes are available as a lunch menu (€45 starter/main course/dessert), a tasting menu (€96 for 4 courses) or a discovery menu (€120 for 6 courses). In other words, a Michelin-starred restaurant that's quite affordable for the area and the quality on the plate.
Desserts follow the same successful line: a pure Caribbean chocolate soufflé (18€) in which the strength of the chocolate contrasts with the sweetness of a Paris honey ice cream, and springtime gavottes (21€) with tangerine sorbet and passion fruit syrup. For its 20th anniversary, the restaurant has been given a facelift by architects Polyèdre, in sober, dark tones.
Auguste has maintained its star status for 15 years. A longevity that should not make you hesitate!
Location
Auguste
54, Rue de Bourgogne
75007 Paris 7
Official website
www.restaurantauguste.fr
