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There are few streets in Paris where fashion and food coexist quite like they do on Avenue Montaigne. Dior, Valentino, Saint Laurent, and Chanel are all located here, as is the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, the iconic red-awning hotel that has been hosting the style set for more than a century. Now, as celebrities, editors, and influencers prepare to descend on the City of Light for another round of shows, the property is unveiling a new restaurant.
La Grande Table du Plaza Athénée opens this month with chefs Jocelyn Herland and Anthony Di Prospero and pastry chef Angelo Musa. Rather than moving away from classic French fine dining, the trio is looking backward—to the ceremony, craftsmanship, and unapologetic formality of French fine dining—and giving those time-honored traditions a modern spin.
BOBY
The six-course, €295 menu changes with the seasons and draws from the work of some of French cuisine’s most influential figures, including Antonin Carême, Jules Gouffé, and Auguste Escoffier. Dinner begins with an “Escoffier” soup before moving through a series of courses built around seasonal French ingredients, some of which are carved, finished, or flambéed tableside.
“Through this collective effort, we have not only remained true to our identity but also reimagined the restaurant through the eyes of our guests, inviting them to discover unexpected moments and delights throughout each stage of their dining experience,” Herland said in a statement.
That element of surprise carries through dessert. Musa, working with chefs Damien Gibault and Lucas Bresson, created Le Grand Dessert Belle Époque, a finale that looks to classic French pâtisserie and childhood memories for inspiration.
MARIE FLAMENT
Master sommelier Laurent Roucayrol handles the wine pairings, moving between prominent producers and less familiar bottles.
The dining room itself makes a case for dressing up. Designed by Rémi Tessier, the gilded space is lined with crystal chandeliers and anchored by the nearly 40-foot marble table that the restaurant is named after. Restaurant director Denis Courtiade and deputy restaurant director Anna Crupano’s vision is clear: “To be spectacular without ever becoming a spectacle.”
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
For all the emphasis on newness, La Grande Table isn’t a total reinvention. In fact, 30 percent of the culinary team has worked at Hôtel Plaza Athénée for more than a decade, giving the restaurant a sense of continuity as it enters its next chapter, revisiting traditions that predate even the building itself.
La Grande Table du Plaza Athénée is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 7:15 P.M. to 10:15 P.M. and for lunch on Saturday from 12:30 P.M. to 2:15 P.M. Reservations are now available.
Dining and Cooking