Le 19.20 by Norbert Tarayre, the Prince of Wales's restaurant

Alert, the 19.20 restaurant by Norbert Tarayre at the Prince de Galles Paris, opens its doors! On the menu, a fine French bistro menu in a friendly atmosphere. You'll love its jungle decor and locally sourced products, worked with Norbert's pep.

Norbert Tarayre, the media-savvy chef who has demonstrated his talents in a variety of fields, from TV and show business to bakery and chef at Bistrots Pas Parisiens, is taking over the Prince of Wales. At the age of 43, he's going back to basics, the very thing that made him a household name: cooking!

From midday on October 12, 2023, Norbert is launching his new concept for the bar and restaurant at 19.20, transforming it into a friendly, accessible venue. The idea is not to compete for stars, but to offer authentic, generous cuisine with a touch of originality.

Having worked alongside such iconic chefs as Bernard Loiseau, Marc Veyrat, Cyril Lignac and Mauro Colagreco, he is now ready to bring the sum of his experience and encounters with numerous producers and breeders to create his identity at 19.20.

Last June, we went to meet him:
Why this transition?

Norbert: I wanted to get back into cooking! In order to do that, I had to really get out of the past. I made a transition with Stéphane Rotenberg and Les Pas Parisiens, and I'm still in contact with Hakim Gaouaoui, whom I adore. I said goodbye to everyone and they asked me why? I replied: I don't know what I'm going to do, but I want to get back into the kitchen! I thought about going to a château, to the South, to my home in Miami... Today, I'm ready to pass it on, but I hadn't found my identity. And that's when this opportunity came along. This is where I'm going to settle down and assume who I really am.

Why the Prince of Wales?

Norbert: Nothing predestined me to come here. I'm not a Parisian, but I campaigned for 9 years with the Bistrots Pas Parisiens to say that in the suburbs there was a new offer being created. So I didn't plan on Paris, I didn't plan on a palace, and what made me decide was the human element, quite simply. It was Gérald Krischek, Arnaud Joly and Frédéric Bayard who came to see me and got me over the ring road. They made me forget that a palace could be stereotypically luxury, very high standing, very code. On the contrary, they wanted something very French bistronomic.

They talked to me about a theme that really appealed to me: the Roaring Twenties. I love the turn of the century, it doesn't remind me of Rungis, but it does remind me of Châtelet, it reminds me of the Bouillons, it reminds me of all the beautiful terroir we used to have in the Place de Paris, which used to be on display and is now hidden away. Here, I've been told, you'll have carte blanche to make a good bistro. I asked, don't you want a Michelin star ? that's not for me, I leave that to all my friends to do and I'm proud of them, I just do fun bistronomy, working with the room and the waiters.

What will we find in this restaurant?

Norbert: We're going for a local cuisine, with producers and breeders I've met on my shows. I'm going to use as many short circuits as possible, so that within a year or two, I'll be using 98% French products. Today, I've reached a certain maturity, that of wanting to settle down and show my cooking, sharing it with the chefs I love. At 19.20, we'll be putting people first, with service and cutting, and beef tartare will be cut with a knife on the spot - true French service. There'll be hazelnut celery remoulade, veal shank on the bone to share with a good jus, cooked for half a day and placed in a pretty copper dish, accompanied by Anna apples when in season. I'm aiming for a menu with 75% plant-based proteins, which means we'll have spice-roasted cauliflower, roast chicken or a new-fashioned rolled omelette. We'll be able to eat here all day long, and I'd like to offer corn dogs for example, which I love. We'll also be serving tapas and vegetable flans.

Our prices are affordable: €49 starter + main course + dessert or €30 main course/dessert. We're not going to lie to ourselves: French farmers and producers come at a price, but we want to offer good products that are still affordable. We'll also be offering 4-hand meals, wine tasting evenings and other types of evening events. The idea is to really liven up the place. With Hélène Kerloegun, the pastry chef, I've asked for some desserts from the cart, and we may start with a floating island, a little customized, with cocoa and then vanilla or cardamom. Then we'll go for more classic desserts like Paris-Brest, Opéra, Saint-Honoré, flans to share because I love flans, baba au rhum and then we'll also have desserts by the plate, because we're all about sharing. We'll also be working on zero waste, I'm going to be careful with energy, cooking at low temperature at night. I want to re-establish that we can achieve something economical.

What about the hall?

I'm not here to change everything. There's DNA from Stéphanie Le Quellec and a bit from everyone else around here. I'm going to draw inspiration from history and transform it into the Années Folles. I called Hervé Porte, the architect behind Bistrots Pas Parisiens, who's been with me from the start. We're going to make some changes, do some home staging and give the place a super Roaring Twenties makeover. Whether you come for lunch or dinner, you'll have the same universe with the 5 senses, the floor, the carpet, the parquet.

We're going to have a very catering part, and another " All Day Dining " part, so people can come and sit here all day long. We're going to turn Stéphanie Le Quellec's kitchens back on, turn the stoves back on, and we're going to set up shop here. We'll keep the chef's table, a Parisian-style table that we can break up into groups of 2, 3 or 4. And I'll be there with you. At the back, we'll have a beautiful fresco with a Toulouse Lautrec feel, and we'll hang curtains. We're somewhere between a Maxim's and Train Bleu-style revival, while keeping the existing 19.20 seating, tables and plates. I don't like to throw things away, so we're going to adapt.

The test

A successful challenge and transition for the chef! The new 19.20 by Norbert Tarayre was born. While the place, elegantly renovated only two years ago, hasn't changed fundamentally, it has taken on large, warm drapes, marble partitions and numerous large, colorful works of art that blend savannah animals and iconic Parisian monuments. The chef's private dining room is now open to all, allowing us a peek into the kitchens, giving the whole a more convivial feel.

In terms of menu and prices, we find, as promised, a more affordable menu at €49: starter + main course + dessert, with 5-star service. The menu features French bistro staples: mayo egg, leek vinaigrette and celery remoulade are served with Landes poultry with artichokes, poached pollack with cockles and 10 o'clock lamb shoulder.

As advertised, this is not a star-studded, gourmet menu. We're here to eat well and have a great time. We were able to sample a number of classic French dishes revisited by the chef(please note that the visuals here show tasting formats; the real full dishes are more generous).

We loved the Japanese mandolin-grated carrots, served in a crispy brick sheet, with flavors of orange juice, turmeric, ginger, garlic and shallot... A lovely marriage of crunchy, crisp and savory. Celery remoulade takes on another level with hazelnut, Combava lemon, mascarpone and smoked pike.

The salmon, just cooked with its lemon sauce and crunchy vegetables, is a delight. Fans of the famous sausage and mashed potato dish will also love this gourmet version, with its dense sauce and savory mashed potato.

On the cheese front, you'll be treated to well-sourced, well-made local cheeses, just what you'd expect. From truffled Brie to Francilien goat's milk tomme, there's something for everyone.

Finally, those with a sweet tooth will love discoveringHélène Kerloeguen 's (the Pastry Chef) dessert cart, which will change according to the season and the mood. From the addictive chocolate fondant to the millefeuille à la coupe, topped with salted butter caramel, to the Bourdaloue eclairs and tarts, there's plenty to keep you on the edge of your seat.