Zostera by Julien Dumas, a gastronomic dive into deep waters of infinite poetry

Chef Julien Dumas has taken over the institution Le Pergolèse in the 16th arrondissement. Now renamed Zostera, he offers a gastronomic dive into deep waters of infinite poetry.

No sooner had the opening of his Maison Lagure in La Garenne Colombes been announced than Julien Dumas revealed that he would also be opening a new restaurant in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. On the one hand, a bistronomic restaurant in the Paris suburbs, and on the other, a gastronomic restaurant in the heart of the city, at 40 rue Pergolèse.

If the address of this Parisian restaurant sounds familiar, it's because the chef has chosen to take over Le Pergolèse, an institution in this chic neighborhood previously run by MOF Stéphane Gaborieau and now renamed Zostera. Julien Dumas, who previously earned a Michelin star at Lucas Carton, post-Alain Senderens, then worked at Le Saint James, is now striking out on his own for the first time and is already a dual owner.

Studio Ambiant refreshed and modernized the address. In consultation with Julien Dumas, they sought to reflect the passing of the torch between the two chefs, by "toning down colors, black, primary colors and contrasts". They also "gave new life to materials that were behind the paint, such as oak wood", which they oiled to bring out its texture. The aim is to welcome guests into a space that is "luminous, soft and poetic, in the spirit of a dreamlike salon.

Although the restaurant's identity—tableware, furniture, artwork on the walls—remained the same at first, both to pay a final tribute to the address and to avoid upsetting the regulars who had been flocking there for two decades, Julien Dumas was nevertheless keen to make his mark with more substantial renovations and a change of name: Zostera, in reference to a marine plant.

Since changing hands in March, Zostera has been offering cuisine focused on local produce, foraging, and fine ingredients, whether they come from the land or, above all, the sea, sourced fromsustainable fishing practices. The chef also has the noble goal of creating a vegetable garden in the Yvelines, so as to be self-sufficient in vegetables and fresh herbs all year round.

For the wines, Julien Dumas has put his trust in sommelier Samuel Ingelaere, trained by Marc Veyrat, who has put together a cellar boasting 30 years' experience and 584 references at present - and in the not-too-distant future, 1600 wines of all kinds.

Open on weekdays only, Zostera offers an à la carte menu, a four-course lunch menu (€50), and two tasting menus with six courses (€95) and eight courses (€125). In our opinion, the six-course menu is the ideal way to discover what's going on in Chef Dumas' mind. And there are plenty of good ideas to be found there.

Right from the names of the dishes, which echo his love of nature and his main source of inspiration: the sea. When the snow melts on the banks of a stream, nature begins to blossom / When the water rises on the edge of the ocean, a ballet of fish, seaweed and shellfish, all good omens for the dishes to come.

Meticulous gastronomy, prodigiously supported by sauces and condiments that make all the difference, and a real love of beauty and good produce, used in its entirety, with the utmost respect. With, as anapotheosis, this dish with the allure of a phantasmagorical jellyfish (squid and ink), perhaps the most (deceptively) simple and yet the most overwhelming. A delicate dish that will be remembered for a long time to come.

Needless to say, with such skill, Julien Dumas is more than ever in the running for the star. The rest, in pictures.

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