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Joël Robuchon at The
Mansion
Joël
Superstar
When a Quiet Man Reaches Perfection
By André Gayot
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Impression by the "Manet of the ovens"
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Joël
Robuchon gained stardom status in spite of himself, for he has always
been a discreet character, unconcerned with publicity, occupied with his
research and dreams in his workshop aka “atelier,” imbibed with
spirituality since his studies at the seminary. Fame came to him
naturally. Why? Because genius does not need trumpets, even in Las
Vegas. Make no mistake; he is one of the few who made contemporary
gastronomy what it is today. Were we to compare cooking to painting, he
would be one of the very first impressionists, a Manet of the ovens.
Honestly enough, Robuchon never forgets to mention the now defunct Jean
Delaveyne, who in the Sixties shook the tyranny of the great Escoffier
and thus paved the way for a totally new culinary world, dubbed
“nouvelle cuisine” in the Seventies by GaultMillau/Gayot.
When Robuchon opened the cozy but smallish
Jamin in the 16th arrondissement of Paris in 1982 with very little
fanfare, he immediately earned, without even asking, a 18/20 rating from
GaultMillau/Gayot. “Le tout Paris” rushed to Jamin, savoring his caviar
in cauliflower crème and what became a cult dish, the “pommes purée.”
The quiet man, continuing to work his way to the summit, received the
top rating of 19.5/20 in 1988, the highest award ever bestowed on a
Chef. In a larger and more elegant setting, in the very chic Le Parc
Hotel on avenue Poincarré in Paris, more enthusiastic diners could gain
access to Robuchon’s art.
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The kitchen: Here's where magic happens |
Everyone was stunned when, quietly as
usual, Robuchon announced his retirement in 1996, at the age of 51.
Reason was probably that it’s an almost impossible task to produce
masterpieces every day. Although, he had left the kitchen, the food
world agreed with the choice of GaultMillau/Gayot to name him “Cook of
the Century” in 1999. The honor—shared with Frédy Girardet and Paul
Bocuse—was not enough to lure him back to the ovens. As time passed,
Robuchon probably missed the action and the climax that rises in the
kitchen at the time of the service, and he tiptoed his way back with
casual, sub-Robuchon ventures, first in Macau, then in Tokyo and finally
in France.
Surprisingly enough, at The Mansion, there
re-appears a full-fledged Robuchon. In the food universe that’s breaking
news. Why, in the world would he have elected to operate such a perilous
comeback almost ten years after his eclipse in the fine dining galaxy,
and why would he do it in a location—at least for his Old World
admirers—as unexpected as Las Vegas?
Without being too emphatic, Las Vegas is in
the process of becoming if not the, at least one of the
capitals of the world of gastronomy. Many top Chefs shine there, at
least they are represented and more are coming soon, such as Parisian
star Guy Savoy. The arrival of Robuchon is a milestone in this
evolution. His presence is recognition of the status of Las Vegas. Sin
city exists now as a restaurant town.
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Main room, softly illuminated by a
tear-drop crystal chandelier |
Rumor also has it that Robuchon, who
rejected numerous offers, was charmed by
MGM Grand President Gamal Aziz. He was so convincing and
open-minded, we are told, that the French Chef decided to take the risk
of returning to haute cuisine in grand style. There’s also the murmur
that Robuchon opened his two restaurants at the MGM on the faith of a
hand shake, no contract having been signed. Not a surprise, when one is
aware of his true nature.
Here we are entering into Joël Robuchon at
The Mansion, welcomed by the experienced and knowledgeable general
manager Loïc Launay through a gleaming foyer opening on the main room,
softly illuminated by a tear-drop crystal chandelier hanging from a high
ceiling. On the sides of the foyer, a private dining room on the left
faces the bar on the right. Architect Pierre-Yves Rochon found his
inspiration in the art deco era, using black, purple and crimson hues to
create a refined and cozy atmosphere centered around a monumental black
fire place with an actual fire. Don’t miss the anecdote placed on the
mantelpiece: a statue in the very art deco style represents two lions, a
humoristic allusion to the famous MGM symbol.
Strongly supported by his landlord,
Robuchon and his team wanted this setting to be nothing less than
perfect. Air conditioning is dosed just right to make diners
comfortable. Lighting has been measured to shed enough light on the
dishes and to create enough shade to soften the wrinkles. The black
lacquered tables are positioned just so, well separated but close enough
not to feel isolated. The seats are comfortable enough to remain at ease
for as long as a sixteen-course dégustation menu lasts. The reduction of
noise aims to shelter our ears. Indeed, this is the perfect showcase for
Robuchon’s feast, prepared by executive Chef Claude le Tohic, who worked
with Robuchon at Jamin, and Tomonori Danzaki, who assisted him in Tokyo
and Paris.
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Depending on your appetite and your wallet,
two dégustation
menus are offered composed of ten or sixteen courses, paired with a
selection of wines by the glass, some of modest of origins but flavorful
(and affordable) such as the Coteaux du Languedoc Bronzinelle.
The first mouthful of his lemon gelée
flavored with vanilla and topped with an anise cream tells us right away
that Robuchon stands as high as can be in the culinary Gotha, for the
refreshing and complex taste of this amuse-bouche is nowhere to be
found. Robuchon has not changed, pursuing his eternal quest for the
best, trying new ideas and products in the intimacy of his kitchen when
the fever has subsided. He researches and experiments with new ideas and
submits them to the jury of his impeccable palate. When they pass they
will flourish on the next menu.
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Who could have imagined the extraordinary
marriage of caviar with a green asparagus garmented with mélisse leaves?
Chlorophyll dots wrap the fresh tomato and king crab millefeuille in a
Verjus coulis. This incredible constellation of miniscule green spots
necessitates a workmanship of twenty minutes per plate. After seducing
the eyes, the beautiful art caresses the palate. A light lettuce cream
in a silver pot is meant to be poured over delicate sweet onion custard.
The plate comes with a tiny bouquet as pretty as it is tasty, composed
of garlic flowers wrapped in a lettuce leaf. This is the most delicate
and exquisite rendition of a consommé that one could ever think of. When
the seaweed lemon butter scallop melts in the mouth, it’s like breathing
in the ocean. We stay in the marine environment with a superb pan-fried
sea bass with lemon grass foam with baby leeks. When you think you have
reached heaven, the sautéed veal chop with natural jus and vegetable
taglierini flavored with pesto boosts you up to new heights of
satisfaction. Let’s admit it: this is the best veal we ever tasted.
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There must be a secret for that, one the
many secrets that Robuchon has uncovered and that make him so unique. We
could explore the confit of lamb with Mediterranean semoule, the tuna
tartar with a confit of red bell pepper with bergamot and ham, or the
extravagant Brittany lobster under a disappearing saffron hostie in a
seafood bouillon, but even in the minute details, we would find that
Robuchon’s bill of fare is flawless.
Pastry Chef Kamel Guechida brilliantly
brings the Robuchon festival to an end with his tequila sorbet and fresh
strawberries in lime syrup, and his melting Aragani chocolate with a
hint of peppermint. The wine list contains 750 labels with many good
finds from small American and French producers at reasonable prices.
Let’s put it simply: there’s only one Robuchon in the world. An evening
there is a unique, unforgettable experience worthwhile the money it will
cost. Robuchon and his mentor Gamal Aziz wanted this place to reach
perfection. As far as it is humanly feasible, they’ve made it. We are
glad to bestow on Robuchon his first 19/20 rating in America.
© 2005 GAYOT. Used
by Permission. All Rights Reserved. See
GAYOT for frank and witty reviews of restaurants, hotels, nightlife,
and shopping around the world.
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