Mireille Guiliano talks about “French women don’t get fat” to chef Jean François Piège

Every time best seller writer Mireille Guiliano invites me to a new restaurant, I know it is going to be a feast. And this time at Le Grand Restaurant, Jean François Piège’s tiny new place near the Elysée,  we had a fabulous time again. I had dreamed of going for months!

The blanc manger by Jean François Piège is worth the trip!

The decoration of wood looking concrete by Californian architect Gulla Jonsdottir, is modern and light with fake natural light coming from the ceiling and a black and white nifty ambiance with Baccarat wall lights. You walk in, and have a perfect view of the kitchen behind a glass partition on your left, and immediately feel the theatrical atmosphere. Nothing is left to chance at Le Grand Restaurant, everything is very elaborate including the black glove worn by the waiters when they serve you (delicious) bread and the chef’s glittering shoes, when he comes to say hello. There are only about 8 tables for 25 guests and the place is intimate and narrow.

Ris de beau with its own lace

We all chose the lunch menu (80€) which was fabulous and here is the story. “Céleri boule, cuit au four dans de la flouve odorante, parmesan, beurre cru battu”. This came after three different appetizers served in Japanese looking bowls. Every minute of the lunch was a surprise prepared in the most refined Bernardaud Limoges dishes.

Jean François Piège dandy shoes

The celery was extraordinary with unknown tastes and special smoothness (flouve is a grass as the dictionary taught me). Then came a ris de veau (sweetbreads), the meat of the day (we could have had Lieu jaune, the fashionable cheap yellow place, but declined because it was Monday). This was good and very pretty but not as lovely as the Volnay’s.

The mousseline de noix is a good idea

Desserts of Noisettes, lait d’amandes glacé and gelée de citron was great (especially the almond ice cream) but it came after the house specialty « blanc manger » where the custard is inside the whites and  is yet another marvelous surprise, and we were less hungry by then.

The celery with a branch of flouve is the winner

At coffee, you are brought an easter type chocolate egg which the waitress breaks on the table cloth and out come nuts and more sweets. By then it was 3.40 pm and we all had to rush to our important meetings (hairdresser, manicure, etc.). The lunch was a fabulous feast, Mireille had told us about the new chef Philippe Labbé at La Tour d’Argent who has beautifully modernized the quenelles André Terrail.

We were slightly overwhelmed by a busy, busy lunch and too many flavors in our mouth and happy to skip dinner that evening !