Three Michelin Stars
The Michelin Guide France 2021 features 30 three-starred restaurants, of which one – AM par Alexandre Mazzia in Marseille – is a new addition. Nestled in Marseille’s 8th arrondissement, the eponymous restaurant led by chef Alexandre Mazzia brings flavours from the world’s diverse cultures to the fore, while using local produce. The restaurant’s menu is comprised of a variety of courses which themselves are composed of a collection of small plates. His cuisine highlights his unique culinary identity forged by a childhood spent in Congo. Every flawless dish served in his elegant dining room has been meticulously conjured to surprise diners, and this is why AM par Alexandre Mazzia has been awarded with a coveted third star. Among others, Yannick Alleno’s Le 1947, Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester led by Jean-Philippe Blondet and Mauro Colagreco‘s Mirazur all retained their 3 stars in this year’s guide.
Two Michelin Stars
The French dining scene sees 74 restaurants be lauded with two stars, of which two are new – Marsan led by Hélène Darroze and La Merise led by Cédric Deckert. A well-established name in the culinary world, Hélène Darroze has received another two Michelin stars for her central Parisian restaurant, alongside the three stars for her London restaurant, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught – this is a huge feat for the chef. Honouring her Les Landes roots while spotlighting flavours from Southwest France, Darozze brings passion and precision to her dishes at Marsan.
Meanwhile, further east in Laubach, chef Cédric Deckert brings classic French cuisine to the forefront at newly two-starred La Merise. Previously the sous-chef to Jean-Georges Klein at L’Arnsbourg, Deckert has now joined forces with his wife Christelle – who leads the service team – to bring an otherworldly dining experience to France’s hinterland.
One Michelin Star
An impressive 534 establishments were lauded with one star in the 2021 Michelin Guide, of which 54 are newly awarded. This large number of Michelin-starred restaurants is testament to France’s rich gastronomic culture. All four corners of the country presented high levels of culinary excellence, with Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region taking top honors thanks to twelve of its restaurants earning a Michelin star for the first time this year. In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, ten new restaurants were awarded their first star, followed by four venues in both Occitania and Centre-Val de Loire.
The youngest chef in the 2021 selection is 25-year-old Guillaume Guibet who has taken the helm of family restaurant Le Verbois in Saint-Maximin, previously led by his parents who remain close by in their front-of-house roles. Here, Guibet fuses flavours from the restaurant’s Picardy roots with contrasting Asian influences to create unique taste sensations.
On France’s eastern border, foodies can delight in Guillaume Scheer’s generous cuisine at Michelin-starred Les Plaisirs Gourmands in Schiltigheim. Meanwhile, on the country’s western coastline, diners can feast on the flavours of Breton at Moulin de Rosmadec in Pont-Aven, led by chef Sébastien Martinez.
In the French capital, already known for its convergence of international influences, Enrique Casarrubias flies the flag for Mexican cuisine at Michelin-starred Oxte while Assaf Granit of Shabour serves up cuisine inspired by his native Israel and the Mediterranean. Offering a one-of-a-kind dining experience, Le Panoramic in Tignes led by chef Clément Bouvier will sweep you off your feet both thanks to its food and its setting which sees it sit at altitude of 3,032 meters.
Restaurant ONA in Arès which was opened by self-taught chef and former archaeologist Claire Vallée, has made history in France as the first vegan restaurant to win a Michelin star in the country. Showing further culinary diversity, Peruvian restaurant Miraflores in Lyon led by Carlos Camino and Italian hotspot La Table d’Antonio Salvatore au Rampoldi in Monaco have also been awarded with their first stars in this year’s guide.
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View the full selection of restaurants here and read the full story by the Michelin Guide for more on the winners.