We weren't expecting him any more, but... here he is at last! It's time for Adrien Cachot to rub shoulders with the greatest number of people. To those who followed his performance on Top Chef with passion and enthusiasm, sprinkled with moments of great cooking, crazy ideas and unforgettable recipes. And to those who didn't have the time, or didn't manage to get a seat, for his stunning residency at Le Perchoir.
Vaisseau, Adrien Cachot's restaurant, has finally opened its doors in Paris, just a stone's throw from Voltaire, and Parisians seem to be on board, if the wait for the Holy Grail - a reservation - is anything to go by. Far from having gone unnoticed in Top Chef - the edition featuring Mory Sacko, Justine Piluso and Gianmarco Gorni - where he stood out for his great mastery and boundless inventiveness, Adrien Cachot had been teasing this project for over 3 years.
After a lot of trouble to find the right place in the capital, and a competition residency at Le Perchoir Ménilmontant lasting 8 months, Adrien Cachot has settled into this vast, uncluttered space, surrounded by a first-rate team - sous chef Adrien Lopes, pastry chef Emine Drissa, top chef Gratien Leroy and his eternal partner Benjamin Arnaboldi.
Just as he did at Le Perchoir, Adrien Cachot unveils his unique menus, priced at €60 for lunch (€100 with food and beverage pairings) and €120 for dinner (€190 with food and beverage pairings). There's as much sea as land, and offal of course, since it's one of the signatures of this extraordinary chef .
The discovery of the menu is done blind, and it's a real pleasure to use one's palate and imagination to try to identify the dishes before getting the answers, after tasting, from the waiters. So, without giving too much away to let you discover Adrien Cachot's creations step by step, let's just mention the amuse-bouches, which feature Cameroon white pepper, horseradish, white miso sauce and vinegared red cabbage juice.
Other stunning dishes include lentils with coffee, spider crab and aniseed; mochi cacio e pepe; Jerusalem artichoke confit and fermented Jerusalem artichoke purée; cod and tapioca pearls cooked in a mussel jus; and Mont-Blanc with button mushrooms. It's inventive, creative, beautifully presented and diabolically gastronomic - or perhaps gastronomically diabolical.
For the less adventurous, note that lunch is more affordable than dinner, both financially and in terms of taste - understand: offal is not part of the lunch menu. If you're eager to discover Vaisseau, you'll have to be patient: the restaurant is already fully booked for the next two months. The restaurant's success augurs well for the future, and its no-holds-barred cuisine could well be rewarded with a macaron next March.
Location
Ship
35 Rue Faidherbe
75011 Paris 11
Official website
www.restaurant-vaisseau.com
