Alain Senderens: The Next Revolution?

By MOIRA CHAMBERS in Paris Mon Dieu! Quel scandale! The luster of Michelin stars seems to be dimming, for Alain Senderens, one of France’s culinary geniuses credited with the invention of Nouvelle Cuisine, is surrendering his stars. For 28 years this chef has held stars (often called macarons or "stickers" in the French Press), but now Senderens is closing the doors of Lucas Carton, his famous restaurant on Place de la Madeleine. But wait! He's closing for just two months, only to reopen with a few changes -- starting with a drop in the menu price from €400 to €100. The chef states he wants the liberty to create something more in tune with modern life, not only in terms of food but also environment. His new restaurant will have a “more sensual, more feminine” atmosphere than the "old" Carton. Currently, Lucas Carton provides four waiters for each table: that's more waiters per table than Michelin stars for the restaurant. Senderens is cutting back on both. But what does Senderens' move portend for the future of French (Nouvelle) Haute Cuisine? Nouvelle Cuisine is hardly new anymore: at 65, Senderens is one of the younger Enfantes terribles (see previous article). It's one thing for a top chef to open a bistrot or cafe in addition to his or her flagship fine dining restaurant -- but it is quite another to ditch (or convert) a flagship altogether for a more casual restaurant. There are financial considerations, of course, which are likely inclining Senderens in this direction -- but there are also artistic considerations. Can a cafe or bistrot support the kind of innovation that led to Nouvelle Cuisine and the derivative "California Cuisine"? Or are we on the brink of the next phase of Food -- namely La Cuisine Pauvre? Caviar and foie gras are under attack in the States (see previous article). French chefs are suffering -- even killing themselves, in Bernard Loiseau's case (see prevous article) -- for the sake of gaining and maintaining a few Michelin stars. Maybe Joachim Splichal found the solution that balances the equation -- vive le pomme de terre! -- except that he sold out to Restaurant Associates... So, maybe the sage Senderens is emerging again as a leader of the next generation's culinary revolution, as he was in the last. Previous articles: The Perfectionist by Rudoph Chelminski Foie Gras War 2: Ban All Poultry? Les Enfantes Terribles devient terriblement vieux Nick Valenti: Super Chef Master? Technorati Tags: chefs food restaurants cooking branding Nouvelle Cuisine Haute Cuisine --> back to superchefblog