His restaurant has been named the best table in the world six times. Guy Savoy is genuinely passionate about wine and will be patron of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris in February 2023. Ahead of the event, he shares his approach to wines and spirits with us.
Here we are in the magical setting of the Hôtel de la Monnaie, opposite the Louvre. How does this venue epitomise your cuisine?
When you see a restaurant in your mind’s eye, obviously what you see is on the plate. But in actual fact, a restaurant is a whole host of ingredients, like the front-of-house, the décor and its surroundings. There are spectacular views wherever you go in the world – from the top of a skyscraper in Shanghai or New York, for example. But here, through the eleven windows, patrons see the booksellers, then the Seine, and on the other bank, you discover the Louvre opposite and the Samaritaine. You instinctively know you’re in Paris. And that’s what makes this location unique. Then there is the restaurant’s interior, which was designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. He designed it like a den, with its dark walls. Consequently, your eyes are instinctively drawn to the table settings with the colourful plates. And the restaurant setting then makes way for the sights of Paris, through the windows. There is also myself and my staff. I want to remain an innkeeper and offer my patrons a certain reassurance, and here, we have combined comfort and reassurance.
We are surrounded by works of art, in every room. And yet, you consider your cuisine not as art but as a craft. Why?
It’s difficult for a craftsman to consider himself as an artist. Artwork does indeed adorn the walls, or comes in the form of sculptures. And I have to thank François Pinault for lending me his works of art. I’m incredibly lucky to have unique artwork! But I continue to define my role as a craftsman because it conveys an idea of hard work, in the noblest way. In a restaurant, we have to stick to meal times to serve our customers. Artists don’t have that obligation. It’s not my place to say whether what’s on the place is art or craft.
How important is wine in your restaurant?
We live in this magnificent country that is France with a word that truly sums up the French lifestyle – gastronomy. I don’t think this word can be used anywhere else than in France, even though every country has culinary traditions. France has such a diverse range of products and wine. And this diversity stems from the work of men and women who, over the centuries, through their work and gift of observation, have divided every wine region into countless vineyard sites. And if you also factor into the equation the individual sensitivities of each winegrower encapsulated in their wines, that diversity gets even bigger. Burgundy’s ‘climats’ are an example that springs to mind. All of this has occurred down the centuries, and it all produces myriad wines with a human touch. And this huge range of products and wines is what makes France and its gastronomy unique, and paves the way for ideal pairings. The spectrum is so extensive and the craftsmanship so deeply rooted in time that French gastronomy is absolutely unique. We really are the land of gourmet food. Our location means that nature is bountiful and we have the French touch that adds a human element to all the food and drink we make.
You are very concerned by the fact that we don’t talk about the success of wine and spirits exports enough. Why?
There is no denying that gastronomy is a part of France’s lifeblood and that one in three foreign tourists comes to France with the idea of tasting our country’s gourmet food. Call me naïve, or proud, but I believe that the reason we export so many wines and spirits across the globe is because our foreign guests have had the opportunity to taste our wines in the best possible conditions, in our restaurants, and that when they return home they are keen to replicate the experience. And I think that’s one of the explanations for the success of our exports. Also, we should not forget that this success helps safeguard our vineyard landscapes, which attract increasing numbers of people through wine tourism. Travelling through vineyard landscapes is always a moving experience. They also help safeguard jobs for men and women, which can never be offshored. Each time a bottle of wine is opened at a table around the world, a part of France comes with it, it acts as a kind of French embassy that opens around the other side of the world. I find it regrettable that the incredible success of our wine and spirits exports is not given enough coverage, for whatever reason. Also, isn’t it risky to let our wines look old hat? It’s all a little incoherent. In fact, sometimes I’m tempted to say outrageous. Because behind those wines are centuries of history and men and women who take risks faced with climate issues. Why isn’t there a spotlight on this, or pride, when that’s what the tourists come for? It’s insane. In fact, it’s false modesty. If we didn’t have all this, we’d fight to get it, but as we do have it, we let it go to rack and ruin.
You were born in Nevers but you grew up in Bourgoin-Jailleu. Your mother ran a restaurant and your father was a gardener. You earned your spurs with the top chefs, particularly the Troisgros brothers, then at Lasserre. At what point did you discover wine?
I encountered wine when I was very young because my father was passionate about Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume. So I was introduced to wine through the Loire, particularly its sweet wines. Subsequently, I became aware of Champagne. But from then on, I realised that I could be drawn to any wine provided it is well-made and offers enjoyment. Because in my opinion, the ultimate goal is to enjoy wine through all its diversity and quality if you’re inquisitive. How you can possibly know if you will enjoy a wine if you’ve never tried others before it? I taste all wines, I’m still inquisitive about everything.
Do you have a favourite region?
No, after everything I have just said about diversity, why would you restrict yourself to one region? You have to get out and about. I discovered Languedoc about ten years ago and I praised the changes in the wines. Before that was the Rhone Valley. Now, with ongoing changes and people’s work, these regions are successfully producing remarkable wines.
Wine has a special place in gastronomy. What role does it play with food in your restaurant?
The definition of gastronomy is to pair wines and foods. And the first to play a role in gastronomy are chefs. We can thank Paul Bocuse, the Troisgros brothers, Michel Guérard… This new style of chef, in the 1970s, brought about change for gastronomy. Cuisine made a huge leap forward, and the range of products is the driving force behind such craftsmanship. Then, in a rapidly changing world of restaurants, sommeliers played a prominent role. The close bond between the sommelier and the chef has become vital. It was essential to leverage this extraordinary lifeblood that makes up our gastronomy and find the perfect match between food and wine.
You have worked closely with your sommelier Sylvain Nicolas since 2006. Do you choose the wines together?
We move forward based on the dishes we produce and every time the menu changes, with the seasons, we work together. He absolutely must taste the dishes and together, we find the wines that pair with them. I do not have his knowledge, but I know exactly what I like.
The sommelier knows what you enjoy!
Of course! But I cannot constantly stick to the same tastes, otherwise I’d get stuck in a rut. It’s terrible. And change is what leads to some amazing pairings, like serving Château d’Yquem with hare à la royale. At one stage, I even dreamt up red Mediterranean tuna which I called ‘every flavour’ where I tried to put a crust of herbs and toast on top to replicate the flavours of Chardonnay. I just knew a top white Burgundy would make the perfect match for the food. He also served me a Jura wine from Savagnin. It’s not a ‘vin jaune’ exactly, but it does have the same characteristics. I have already imagined what will go with it. It’s a real autumn wine.
Do you ever start with the wine to produce a dish?
Absolutely! Sometimes winegrowers present us with wines and Sylvain and I design a dish that is in keeping, in harmony with the wines. There are times when the pairing is not initially obvious, like Yquem with hare à la royale, but it works.
You will be hosting a duo with Sylvain Nicolas during Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, of which you are the patron. What will you present?
We are going to present the work we do together on food and wine pairings, under the watchful eye of Philippe Faure-Brac who convinced me of the mutual benefit of becoming the patron of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris.
Also, the World’s Best Sommelier competition will be taking place during the exhibition. Will you attend?
Of course. In the same way that the Bocuse d’Or is important for chefs, the World’s Best Sommelier competition is important for sommeliers and for us. And I feel it’s important that a candidate like Pascaline Lepeltier is representing France.
I suppose you will be making the most of the exhibition to meet winegrowers. What do you gain from them?
I find this important because, when you talk to them, they tell you about the harvest, the vintage, how the fermentation process went and about everything that makes that specific wine unique. They give you a complete run-down of the wine, which gives you insight into it. When we have its ‘résumé’, it makes it easier for us to showcase it, at the table, and to decide which dish we’ll be able to pair it with.
Are there any particular encounters with winegrowers that you have found moving?
Of course. I remember the first times I met Hubert de Montille in Volnay. Though president of the bar in Dijon, you quickly realise that what makes him tick is more his wines than the law. The real challenges for him were the difficult years and that’s where you’d fully see that his sensitivity and talent as a winegrower would be able to express themselves. I also think back to Pierre Gaillard, in Côte-Rôtie, who I would watch plough his incredibly steep vineyards with a horse. Again, this helped me understand wine – the aspect of the vineyards, the climate and the skill of the winegrowers. Women also play an important part. It reminds me of Hubert de Montille again, who would religiously listen to his wife Christine when she was describing wine. He was the one involved in the wine, but what Christine said was essential. I remember one rainy vintage when Hubert dried all the grape pickers’ baskets out in the courtyard. When you know this kind of detail, your taste buds approach a wine differently. And it’s important to have that kind of knowledge in mind. It shows, yet again, that people are vital. Nature gives us what it has, but then it says – “right guys, get to work!” And that’s what moves me with all these professions. It’s a bit like a baker who, when the weather is damp, will slightly change the recipe for his bread. That brings us back to craftsmanship. Observation and the sensitivity of men and women bring all this to light.
Is there a wine that has made a particular impression on you during your lifetime?
I have experienced emotions in every wine region. Not long ago, this may seem a bit showy, it was with a 2003 Petrus. The atmosphere around the table and the quality of the guests is also what makes the wine we’re drinking magnificent. Frédéric Dard used to say about Yquem: “To celebrate Yquem, it takes three with the bottle and a friend from a great vintage”, and he was right! Actually, everything has to be good – the company, the glass, the atmosphere, everything counts. A host of details is what makes this kind of occasion special.
Lastly, what have you gained from wine in your lifetime?
Smells, flavours and atmospheres leave a lasting impression on all of us. And when you’re fortunate enough to access many possibilities and to find the wine that will enhance what you have just created as a chef, you think to yourself, thank-you wine!
