LIONEL GIRAUD: SCENTS AND FLAVOURS OF OCCITANIA
“The art of cuisine for the future lies in the comprehension of its past”. This is what Lionel Giraud states with conviction, and his passion for haute cuisine has familial roots. With his father a Michelin star chef and mother a sommelier, he dreamt of making a name for himself in the world of great chefs. His career started in the kitchens of various Michelin star restaurants in Paris and reached its peak in his own restaurant, La Table Lionel Giraud – Maison Saint Crescent in Narbonne, the Occitan city with an illustrious past. Originally a refuge offered by the abbot of Saint-Crescent to pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, now it is the setting for his culinary vision, one that has earned him two Michelin stars. Here you can savour the exclusive, limited production Kafa Forest Coffee, a 100% arabica, single-origin Ethiopian coffee dedicated to those seeking something unique and exceptional.
The raw material at the core
Putting the raw materials of his region at the forefront, Chef Giraud starts from the premise of offering the best produce from the farmers of Occitania to those who come to the restaurant, emphasising those somewhat forgotten ingredients and vegetables in danger of disappearing. One of the essential elements of his dishes is seaweed, a natural treasure he obtains through a large network of collaborations with the new generation of local fishermen, and as a chef he transforms it into authentic creator’s masterpieces, while not forgetting to name each of the producers he collaborates with on the menu.
Coffee-infused olive oil
At La Table Lionel Giraud – Maison Saint Crescent, a main feature of the welcome you receive is the coffee-infused olive oil. World premiered at the Roland-Garros in Paris, the French Open tennis tournament, this unusual oil arose from a collaboration with the Spanish producer Alexis Muñoz and Lavazza. Produced in limited-edition 25 ml bottles, it embodies an exceptional combination of the olive oil’s fruity flavour and Lavazza coffee.
At its base are Arbequina olives, an olive variety suited to high-density olive groves, and Lavazza coffee. Careful thought is also given to the protection of the environment, which ensures reuse of the waste from the oil produced in Spain and bottled in France: the stones are replanted or ground and transformed into a material for heating and the pulp is used as a fertiliser or as an ingredient for cosmetics.
Fundamental to Chef Lionel Giraud’s culinary philosophy and the awards earned over the course of his career is, without doubt, the quality of the ingredients selected for the creation of his dishes, as are the attributes of elegance, balance, and respect for traditions and sustainability. These are principles that guide the ongoing evolution of his culinary work.
