Paris, France – Reported by Donovan Longo for Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazine
Executive Chef Philippe Labbé has been named “Cuisinier of the Year” by Gault & Millau. The Shangri-La Hotel, Paris is no stranger to acclaim; the restaurant L’Abeille now has five toques, while Shang Palace, exclusively dedicated to Cantonese-influenced Chinese cooking, has three toques. The hotel has become a destination for jet-setters seeking an unmatchable dining experience.
“It is a tremendous honor to receive the title of ‘Cuisinier of the Year,’” said Chef Labbé. “For me, it represents a wonderful and well-deserved recognition of all the work done by our teams over the past two years. But we still have much yet to do.”
The cultural and historical aspects of the hotel add to the overall experience for guests, the site which the Shangri-La Hotel, Paris and its first restaurant, La Bauhinia now sit once served as the original home of Prince Roland Bonaparte’s former hôtel particulier.
After the original opening in December 2010, the hotel expanded on its dining experience; opening L’Abeille next to the hotel’s lavish garden. The critics at Gault & Millau praised it as “one of the most dazzling cuisines” in Paris. With the addition of the second restaurant, Chef Labbé now has the ability to create new and exciting cuisine through a seasonal menu and daring ingredients.
His menu creates an overall dining experience allowing diners to revel in the changing seasons and indulge their senses. Signature dishes include the essential spices and ingredients of the season, for autumn, the chestnut carpaccio and cappelletti stuffed with fontina celebrate the white truffle. Ceps and fricassée of wild mushrooms are sprinkled with fresh grated hazelnuts. The beet gazpacho becomes vibrant with the tang of charroux mustard and king prawns, prepared live and barely cooked with yuzu zest, are misted with ginger water. These are only a few of the favorite dishes at this time of year.
Even with the success of the two restaurants, the Shangri-La Hotel, Paris did not stop there. The dining journey continued with the opening of the Cantonese-inspired Shang Palace in September 2011. Under the direction of Chef Frank Xu and Chef Labbé, this restaurant is authentic Asian cuisine in the middle of Paris. Some signature dishes include lacquered peking-style duck served two ways, with crispy skin followed by thinly sliced breast sautéed with lettuce leaves. Guests gather to enjoy colorful cuisine from a newly redesigned menu featuring an elegant mix of authentic Asian dishes and French classics.
Alain Borgers, the general manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Paris, said, “The past 18 months have been extremely important for the hotel with the opening of two new restaurants. Creating exceptional and exciting new dining experiences required the unwavering dedication of Philippe Labbé and all our teams, and it is extremely gratifying to see their efforts distinguished by such a prestigious institution as Gault & Millau.”
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