Argentinean chef Mauro Colagreco’s French restaurant Mirazur was voted the world’s best restaurant by the British magazine Restaurant.
Argentinean chef Mauro Colagreco’s French restaurant Mirazur was voted the world’s best restaurant by the British magazine Restaurant. Managed by Argentinian chef Maura Colagreco, this restaurant is located in Menton in southern France. The chef paid tribute, at a ceremony in Singapore, to France, which allowed him to “express himself” through the kitchen, to Argentina for “childhood memories”.
Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco’s French restaurant Mirazur, located in Menton in southern France, was voted best restaurant in the world by the British specialist magazine on Tuesday (June 25th). Restaurant on, at a ceremony in Singapore.
The Noma in Copenhagen is ranked second in the 50 best restaurants in the world, the most coveted list of world gastronomy, followed by Asador Etxebarri in the Spanish Basque Country. Bangkok’s Gaggan Restaurant ranks third.
A “new way of cooking in France”
Mauro Colagreco, who finished third in the previous edition, is also the only foreign chef to win three Michelin stars. Accompanied by his Brazilian wife Julia and the team Mirazur, the leader came on stage at the announcement of his victory, holding a huge banner representing four flags: those of Argentina, Brazil, France and Italy.
“This banner represents the Mirazur and a new way of cooking in France,” he said. He paid tribute to France, which allowed him to “express himself” through cooking, to Argentina for “childhood memories”, in Brazil who offered him “the love of his life” and to Italy from which half of his team comes. “Thank you, my team. You deserve it. Thank you, my friends, for supporting us during these 13 years, “he added.
Up to 260 € the meal
At Mirazur, the meal can cost up to 260 € without the wines. The establishment, which has a brigade of 25 people of eight nationalities, is now 25% self-sufficient, with the aim of increasing to 60-70% of house supply. Except for exception, the rest comes from suppliers located 50 km round to which Mauro Colagreco has a loyal fidelity.
The chef also cultivates an ultimate secret boot: workbooks in which he keeps track of what each customer has eaten at Mirazur since the opening, to be sure to never serve the same thing. “It’s personalized and it drives us to be in the creation all the time”.
Born in La Plata, this man with a rugby physique, polyglot and able to create 250 to 300 dishes a year, arrived in France in 2001 and was trained at the school of the greatest: with Bernard Loiseau in Burgundy (east of France). ) until his suicide in 2003, then Alain Passard at L’Arpege in Paris, and Alain Ducasse at the prestigious Plaza Athenee on Avenue Montaigne in Paris.
Installed in Menton “by chance”
“Borders and traditions are important but they must not be barriers”, had explained to AFP during a report a few weeks ago Mauro Colagreco, who opened his restaurant-rotunda in 2006, hanging between the sky and sea 30 meters from Italy, and obtained a first Michelin star in 2007.
Mauro Colagreco came to Menton by chance: “The owner of the place was the perfect stereotype of English on the Côte d’Azur, white linen suit and Panama hat. He saw that I did not have money, but he wanted to know what an Argentinian man did in Menton […] . He rented me the restaurant for a ridiculous sum , “ he said.
The Mirazur, whose brigade counts 25 people of eight nationalities, is today self-sufficient at 25%, with the aim of increasing to 60-70% of house supply. With the exception, the rest comes from suppliers located 50 km round to which Colagreco has a loyalty flawless.
A disputed ranking
Starting from scratch on the French Riviera “gave me a lot of freedom”. Even today, he remains anxious to “keep his feet on the ground” despite incursions on TV for Top Chef in Italy or France. The “50 Best” has been awarded since 2002 by a thousand “independent experts” (chefs, specialized journalists, restaurant owners …) who write their experiences of the last 18 months under the auspices of the magazine Restaurant of the press group British William Reed.
The legitimacy of this ranking, sponsored by several brands, is regularly challenged, especially by French leaders who accuse him of complacency and opacity. In response, its detractors, French, but also Japanese and American, launched in 2015 “The list” ranking of thousand tables around the world.
