The understated, reserved Breton chef Jérôme Banctel is most likely to be found at La Réserve, the hotel that houses his restaurant Le Gabriel – when he’s not busy appearing on TV that is. He has been a contestant on French TV’s Top Chef twice and belongs to that category of chefs who, with little fanfare, have come into their own under the guidance of the greats. After notching up plenty of experience all over France (working, most notably, for André Daguin in Auch and Christian Constant at Le Crillon), Jérôme Banctel spent a decisive decade earning his stripes alongside Bernard Pacaud at L'Ambroisie, before honing his technical skills under the watchful eye of Alain Senderens at Lucas Carton.
Arrival
At lunchtime, bask in "the light pouring through the large windows adorned with white curtains that open onto the gardens of the Champs-Elysées"."We then entered the elegant, refined dining room, a veritable haven of luxury and a tribute to the Napoleon III style, to which Jacques Garcia is no stranger; the gilt Spanish leather covering the walls is really something to behold." The tableware is in the same vein, in keeping with the setting: "superior-quality white tablecloths and napkins, finely crafted silverware, crystal glassware that fits the bill for tasting, and beautiful contemporary porcelain (some by Bernardaud)".
La Réserve is housed in what was once a private mansion, built in 1854 for the Duc de Morny (Napoleon III's half-brother) in textbook Second Empire style. The task of designing the interior seems to have truly inspired Jacques Garcia, who remained faithful to the building's origins but scattered a handful of baroque and theatrical touches throughout. "Before my colleagues arrived, it was a delight to wait in the opulent-feeling bar,” recalls an Inspector. "It was the very epitome of cosiness with its padded seats and hushed atmosphere, a world away from the hubbub of the city just outside."
"Barely a year after my last visit, it was a pleasure to return to this intimate restaurant tucked away in a relatively small hotel with a human touch," says one Michelin Inspector of visiting La Réserve. Indeed, this bijou boutique hotel sets itself apart from those large international operations where standardisation equates to a sense of sameness. You could say Le Gabriel is an ‘haute-couture restaurant’; a block behind the Champs-Élysées, at 42 avenue Gabriel, it lies within the sphere of influence of avenue Montaigne and its designer boutiques.
The Team
The décor may evoke the era of Napoleon III, but the staff are very much of this century – something the Inspectors greatly appreciated: "The diverse young service team, elegant in their uniforms, bring the menus, which they proceed to explain. The service is professional and unobtrusive, but also well-paced, and dishes are confidently served from a tray." One Inspector comments: "The whole team embodies modern, friendly and professional service, with no hint of pretentiousness, putting guests completely at ease."A major asset of any fine dining restaurant worth its salt is its "meticulous" presentation of the dishes; the team here are able to talk about the ingredients and the different techniques used by the chef, in particular "the famous lime water cooking technique".
The Cooking
A point on which the Inspectors have all commented is that the chef's culinary personality is undeniable. Having dispensed with "a number of superfluous elements that were detrimental to the balance of flavours" in his dishes, Jérôme Banctel has reached the top of his game. A keen traveller, he introduces diners to his style of cooking by means of two tasting menus: ‘Virée’, which pays homage to his native Brittany, and ‘Périple’, which invites you to travel around the globe, taking in Japan and Turkey, where the chef discovered "lime water cooking, which lends the vegetables an incomparable texture". In season, there is also a menu dedicated to game.One Inspector recounts: "This chef is capable of summoning up a vast range of sensations and flavours, whether tart or sweet, or drawing on spices or seafood. This is profoundly technical cuisine – just look at the sauces – but it doesn’t come across as such." It might be the blue lobster cooked over binchotan charcoal that has become his signature, but Jérôme Banctel also has the skill to serve an elevated take on mackerel.
The Dishes Tasted
Squid tagliatelle with cuttlefish ink and caviar"This surf and turf dish is remarkably harmonious. The iodine taste of the cuttlefish ink combined with the saltiness of the caviar and the freshness of the soft squid are cut through by a duck jus, which is reduced to perfection and adds a meatiness to the composition. A totally accomplished dish of uncommon elegance that will remain etched in the memory."
Mackerel on pebbles, bottarga, sea urchin and samphire
"Prepared at the table, a thick fillet of fresh mackerel is presented under a glass cloche, wrapped between two cedar leaves and placed on hot pebbles. It is basted with a white wine broth as it finishes cooking, then plated up and served with creamed sea urchin and an emulsified bourride sauce flavoured with garlic and ginger. Three small, melt-in-the-mouth steamed potatoes topped with bottarga and samphire complete the dish – proof, if proof were needed, that when perfectly cooked, a common ingredient can be completely sensational."
Plump chicken with ‘lait ribot’, pea tartlet and wild garlic
"The fillet of Mayenne poularde is marinated in ‘lait ribot’ buttermilk for several hours, then poached. Cooked to perfection, it has tender flesh and crispy skin. It is served with a ‘lait ribot’ emulsion for a pleasantly sour note, and a tartlet with ‘petits pois à la française’, onion, bacon and wild garlic flowers. A delicious reduction flavoured with wild garlic oil rounds off this delicious and indulgent dish."
Conclusion
"A meal at Le Gabriel can be enjoyed at any time of year. However, hunters and game lovers will want to try the hunting menu in season.""Try the 4 course set lunch menu and, for just €98, immerse yourself in the chef's culinary world, particularly his plant-based creations. It's the perfect business lunch."
Illustration image: Grégoire Gardette/Le Gabriel - La Réserve Paris
