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Christophe Cussac: “Cooking from the heart”

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Chef Christophe Cussac in the kitchen © MC Studio Phenix

The two stars awarded in March this year by the Michelin Guide to his restaurant, Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac, are a tribute to the talent of Christophe Cussac, a humble and down-to-earth chef. We profile an artisan of top-flight fine dining.

The award came only nine months after the opening of his eponymous restaurant: Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac. Today, having a restaurant that bears his name is the crowning glory in the Chef’s flawless career. His success, far from the limelight, is a testament to his expertise and passion for fine dining that isn’t out for awards but instead seeks the perfect balance in the plate.

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Having started his career in the footsteps of Joël Robuchon, especially as a kitchen secretary, the Chef believes that the culinary arts are constantly evolving: “we don’t cook the way we did 20 years ago.”

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The dining room at Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac © Studio Phenix

According to the Chef, the recipe’s flavours and fundamentals remain, but everything is lighter. This is something that his mentor Joël Robuchon understood and Christophe Cussac appreciated: “Robuchon was always 10 years ahead of his time.” Les Ambassadeurs Chef Christophe Cussac is full of admiration for him: “He really had an aura, he was widely respected. There isn’t a chef today who can compare to Joël Robuchon. There are obviously very good chefs, but they do not have his pedigree. He won every single contest!” 

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Chef Christophe Cussac in the kitchen © MC Studio Phenix

The work of the Chef at the Hôtel Métropole restaurant can be summed up as simple yet refined cuisine, where the quality of the ingredients takes priority over gimmickry. The recipe for success is best summed up in a simple credo: “Cooking from the heart makes all the difference.” The Chef likes to motivate his team by likening clients to relatives or close friends. If you want them to be satisfied, you have to want to please them and welcome them with generosity and warmth.

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The team in the dining room before start of service © Live and shoot – A. Gerard

Cuisine that is inspired by the terroir

“I cook Mediterranean cuisine but not just Provencal. From all around the Mediterranean: Italy, Lebanon, Algeria… I make what I would like to eat,” he says, with sincerity.

Chef Cussac’s caring, unpretentious and authentic personality is reflected in his cuisine, which blends humble ingredients with a touch of the finest.

My style of cooking is simple in appearance. My product speaks for itself, if the product is not up to scratch, the dish won’t be any good

This is the case, for example, with his favourite ingredient, sardines. Rediscovering them when he came to the Côte d’Azur in 1997 and when he worked at the La Réserve restaurant in Beaulieu sur Mer, Christophe Cussac made local products his own, with sardine becoming his favourite ingredient. He says, “ When I create my menus, I draw inspiration from ancestral recipes and the terroir. When I came to the Côte d’Azur, we had to start with a clean slate and soak up the Mediterranean and its bounty, like olive oil and fish.”

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Marinated sardine © Matthieu Cellard

Sardines are plentiful and a simple, affordable product that is the symbol of the Mediterranean. « My style of cooking is simple in appearance. The product speaks for itself, if the product is not up to scratch, the dish won’t be any good,” explains the Chef.

It is at home in Contes, in the Vallée des Paillons, that Chef Cussac finds the calm and serenity he conveys through his dishes. A tranquility that is also reflected in the atmosphere of his restaurant. The open kitchen, close to the guests, provides transparency and proximity, but don’t be fooled, the small kitchen guests can see from their table isn’t the whole story. There are three more premises, one for pastry and another for bread baking, reflecting the importance placed on each component of the meal.

In fact at Les Ambassadeurs by Chrsitophe Cussac, the bread is an experience in its own right. A trolley filled with a wide variety of breads moves around between the tables, offering a symphony of flavours. During our tour of the kitchens, where the commis were starting to get busy preparing the evening’s meal, we were told that the bread is so good that customers dive in even before the delicious first courses reach their table. A kind of appetiser, and again simple but perfectly executed.

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The bread trolley © Studio Phenix

“Keeping it simple is complicated”

Through his restaurant, Christophe Cussac sets great store by “creating an emotion for the customer.” He believes that “memories are important, it’s the greatest compliment you can pay a chef. It’s proof that you’ve made an impression on the person.” 

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Lobster lasagna © Studio Phenix

Gastronomy is not enough to succeed. The decor, the quality of the premises play a crucial role as well as the service which he believes should be “elegant but not ostentatious.” He is constantly striving for a delicate balance in his dishes.

Humble and on a perpetual quest for excellence, the Chef admits that he “questions himself every day, nothing can be taken for granted.” A quest that he shares with his long-standing colleague Patrick Mesiano, the restaurant’s Pastry Chef: “Patrick and I understand each other. He’s been with me for 20 years. We have a healthy relationship.” 

With about fifty covers, the Hotel Métropole restaurant provides an intimate and exclusive experience. As a worthy successor to his mentor Joël Robuchon, Christophe Cussac is perpetuating a culinary heritage while adding his own signature, a perfect alchemy between tradition and innovation that we recommend you discover without delay.