Pudlow annual rewards for top chefs

[fresh_a]

Yannick Alleno of l'Hôtel Meurice, Eric Fréchon of the Bristol, as well as Michel Trama from Loges de L'Aubergade in Puymirol are the highest rated chefs for the year 2004 according to the Pudlo guide.

Gilles Pudlowski promted Alleno and Fréchon to three plates each, saying the French capitol was faring well, and was certainly the best in the world for dining.

Les Ambassadeurs at the Crillon Hotel, and La Table de Joel Robuchon both received two plates each.

[Bux]

How long has la Table de Joël Robuchon been open?

[Le Zouave]

Last may, Bux. At the end of the month, I think.

[John Talbott]

Last may, Bux. At the end of the month, I think.

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I'm not sure if it's important but Bonjour Paris announced it open on May 12th; Jean-Claude Ribault of Le Monde discussed it as part of a book review that week and Figaroscope reviewed it June 2nd. I assume Bux is counting how long it took to get an award. Pretty fast.

[Le Zouave]

Pretty fast indeed, although a chef like JR is quite a safe choice... (As are, btw, Alleno and Frechon -- the latter already recieved Pudlo's "Restaurant of the year" award in 2002.)

[Bux]

JR is quite a safe choice...

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Indeed. I've always maintained that a great chef need not be in the kitchen for you to have a great meal in his restaurant. We did the tasting menu at l'Atelier and each and every course was on the mark. I was dining with a chef whose standards I consider pretty tight and whose own criticisms of haute cuisine these days are that it's often too fussy. He too was impressed with everything that appeared in terms of conception and execution. Mrs. B, who was impressed with frog's legs at Regis Marcon's Clos des Cimes in St. Bonnet-le-Froid the previous week, said those at Robuchon ordered a la carte, blew away any she had ever had.