Not content to sit back and rest on his laurels, Chef Alain Ducasse is always innovating. The latest concept from the restaurant mogul? “Back to Basics” at his Michelin three-starred restaurant at the Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris. Focused on flavor, the “Back to Basics” concept is all about the simple preparation of the finest ingredients, as the products—selected and served only in-season at the height of freshness—should speak for themselves. “Going ‘back to basics’ means refusing to demonstrate virtuosity for virtuosity’s sake in the kitchen,” says Ducasse. “Cooking is not about displaying technique but about paying homage to the flavor of the product. Comparing and contrasting so-called ‘noble’ and ‘common’ products is wrong: The only categories of food are the exceptional and the rest.”
How much are you willing to pay for a meal? Better yet, what’s it worth? The Hotel Principe di Savoia‘s Acanto restaurant is offering four diners the opportunity to pay precisely what they think their dinner is worth.
Each evening, guests will be have the opportunity to reserve a single table at Acanto for a maximum of four diners, ordering the top dishes on the restaurant’s A La Carte menu. The final tab will be whatever they think dinner is worth. The promotion comes from Restaurant Manager Raffaele Longo, who is confident not only of Executive Chef Fabrizio Cadei’s culinary talents, but of his restaurant’s ability to provide the city’s singular dining experience. We hope so. What an out there concept! Let’s hope each diner is generous!
