David Toutain

Photo Credit: Thai Toutain

Editor's note: This is a guest blog interview post by Haute Residence member KC Martin. 

The idea of a laboratory, a unique space for creative infusion and thoughtful expertise, is what both 2 star Michelin Chef, David Toutain, and world-renown bespoke parfumeur, Blaise Mautin, share in common.

Their recent collaboration for the highly esteemed restaurant ‘David Toutain’  reaches new heights for the ultimate fine dining experience. Taste, texture, ambiance, and smell are all thoughtfully and meticulously redefined in the superlative dining experience at the newly opened ‘David Toutain’, located at 29 Rue Surcouf, 75007 Paris. +33 01.45.50.11.10

Photo Credit: Thai Toutain

David Toutain - Starting in Spain (Mugaritz) then to New York (Corton), and now in Paris, 2 Star Michelin Chef David Toutain expresses the most unique techniques and tastes in his cuisine d’excellence. In 2015, he acquired a first star in the Michelin Guide. In 2017, he was awarded 4 toques by the Gault & Millau guide and a Pudlowski Guide cook election of the year. In 2019, the Michelin Guide awarded him a second star, guaranteeing an exceptional cuisine after being guided as 2nd under chef of 3 Michelin Star, Alain Passard, of L'Arpège (Paris).

Blaise Mautin

Photo Credit: Cecil Mathieu

Blaise Mautin - Blaise Mautin is one of the world’s most exclusive, bespoke perfumers. Based in Paris, with extensive fragrance schooling in Versailles, France, Blaise has spent almost a quarter of a century creating and perfecting the most incredible and elegant fragrances and bath lines for the finest private global clientele and for over 50 of the most exclusive and celebrated 5-star hotels around the world, including in France the exceptional 5-star Arielles Le Château de Versailles Le Grand Contrôle, 5-star Parc Hyatt - Paris Vendôme, 5-star Le Bristol Paris, and 5-star Chateau de la Messardière - St. Tropez.

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The ‘David Toutain’ avant-garde dining experience begins with the Japanese tradition of ‘oshibori’ - a wet hand towel offered to customers and used to clean one’s hands before or after eating - a long-standing part of the hospitality culture in Japan. Cold, damp hand towels perfumed in the restaurant’s bespoke fragrance ‘David Toutain’ created by Mautin are offered upon arrival. Moreover, scented candles of the same bespoke scent are seen and smelled throughout the restaurant, including on the dining tables.

To the right of the entrance, a room awash in soft light opens onto a narrow corridor lined with various jars and display cases. Then, the chef's laboratory appears, like a dispensary, where herbs and condiments take precedence on the shelves. A kitchen laboratory between creation and tasting, this space becomes a gateway into a magical dining experience which is ‘David Toutain’.

Photo Credit: Cecil Mathieu

Q1. Gentlemen, it is such a pleasure to discover this new avenue of a luxury restaurant experience in ‘David Toutain’ (Paris). How did this collaboration come about between you? When was the idea born, and who sought out who?

DT: The idea to have a scent that can be identified with our restaurant had never been found until we met with Blaise Mautin. I met Mr. Mautin through our lawyer, and we just clicked. The experience of the restaurant is always evolving; whether it is on a plate, the design of the restaurant, and down to the simple flower arrangement. We want to give the maximum to our guests, and to our staff. There are many more ideas waiting to blossom, and we stay positive that this will arrive.

BM: I met Chef David Toutain through Chef Pierre Gagnaire’s lawyer, who is a great fan of my work. The experience we all had then was sincerely unique. David came to see me after lunch and we talked about our crafts. It seemed obvious that David was sincerely interested in my field of perfume and the essentials oils that I need to create my fragrances. I invited him to discover my fragrance lab and all of my essentials oils in Paris. This experience and discovery for David was the beginning of this successful first restaurant and fragrance collaboration.

Q2. David, tell me more about the concepts behind putting ‘David Toutain’ together. What are the dining experiences regarding the ingredients, textures, and menus that set ‘David Toutain’ apart from your restaurants in the past, and what is your vision for the experience of ‘David Toutain’ going forward?

DT: It has always been my dream to open my own restaurant. I took a year off after returning from traveling and spending time with my wife and son. I only had about 2 months to find my restaurant and make it work in Paris. The pressure was on and there was only one way, and that was going forward. I had probably visited about 30 restaurants before this restaurant found us. It was actually a restaurant my wife and I passed by a few times when we would take walks around Paris with our son. The dream and imagination had already started, without us knowing it. We imagined the color of the restaurant, the lighting, the guests, the food, the joy. The time was almost up when our broker called us and let us know that this space was available.

The concept of the restaurant is to showcase the seasonal ingredients with tasting menus. This gives us the freedom to create and adjust the menus depending on what is available at the markets and from our purveyors. I respect the past and my cuisine is modern with techniques with herbs and flowers. There is use of butter also, but still in a way that it doesn’t feel heavy. There are many menu products from Normandy, because I am from Normandy, and so I pay respect to it and to all of my experiences from my training and traveling. Now, at this time, I let it go and continue to improve for the guests, my team, and my cuisine.

Q3. Blaise, how long did it take for you to formulate the scent for ‘David Toutain’? What are the head, middle, and base notes that you used? And, what guided you to choose this specific combination of scents for the final bespoke fragrance creation?

BM: ‘David Toutain’ restaurant’s decoration is very pure and delicate. I wanted to present to David a very subtle fragrance based on the white flower fragrance which is a mixture between honeysuckle, rose, and Lily of the valley - the headnotes are based on the work of the honeysuckle flower’s delicate fragrance, the middle note has a hint of rose petals, and the base notes are the bewitching smell of the Lilly of the valley’s scent. Creating this bespoke fragrance took about 2 months.

Q4. David, you have some extraordinary, innovative cooking techniques that you focus on, creating mesmerizing dishes unique to the eye and to tasting such as ‘cucumber caviar’ and ‘smokey creams’, resulting in really unusual textures and tastes. Where do these techniques and flavourings come from, and are they completely your own creations?

DT: Ideas come to me naturally because in my head these flavours, textures, and temperatures work for me. Working with my team and sharing ideas are important aspects also; as are traveling, eating, tasting, experiencing life, and everything else in between. Further, I always remember the foundation of it all which is my grandmother, my mom, and my Normandy roots.

Photo Credit: Thai Toutain

Q5. Blaise, tell us about the idea of using bespoke fragrance candles in the restaurant. The dining public has often been discouraged, especially in Michelin restaurants, for many years from wearing perfumes when dining - sometimes to the point of excluding guests who desire to wear them as to not ‘interfere’ with the restaurant dining experience. The concept of a bespoke restaurant fragrance is a complete turnaround from this thought process. Tell us how embracing the fragrance experience in an exclusive restaurant envelops, rather than hinders, an exclusive dining experience.

BM: This is where I think David is a genius! He wants to give his guests an exclusive avant-garde experience above all from as soon as you arrive until the end when you leave. The idea of integrating fragrance in a Michelin star restaurant is another aspect of David that illustrates his extreme talent and willingness to take risks to achieve an ultimate dining experience at ‘David Toutain’.

The only thing you want to do is to come back to ‘David Toutain’ once you’ve been there. This place is truly amazing and so different from the traditional Michelin star restaurants.

Q6. What are some of the special reactions you’ve received from the dining public since opening ‘David Toutain’? Which one has been your favorite or the most surprising?

DT: It is always nice when the guests come back to our restaurant because that means they truly enjoyed the experience. My cuisine is personal, and to have clients enjoy it and recognise that, I am humbled.

BM: David Toutain’s work is beyond anything you’ve experienced before. I can assure you. I will let him explain the experience you have when you discover the smoky sauce he integrates with the eel and a special sweet wine from Austria. Every dish you experience at ‘David Toutain’ is incredible, and truly a ‘work of art’.

Q7. What are a few of your very favorite menu items at ‘David Toutain’? Please describe the preparation for these and the experience of the texture and taste involved in these dishes.

DT: There are a few classics that always remain on the menu such as the smoked eel, black sesame, and green apple; cauliflower, white chocolate, and coconut. Not a particular favorite of mine, but a dish that my son enjoys very much, is the egg, corn, and caraway seeds dish. This is a simple preparation of egg yolk cooked gently in its shell at 57 Celsius for 20 minutes, a mousse of corn that has been in flambé with whiskey, fresh corn and chive, and a caramel infused with caraway seeds to top it off. There’s a sweet, salt, fresh and different play of temperature and textures, and of course then memories.

BM: Every menu item at ‘David Toutain’ is exquisitely perfect..nothing further.

Q8. David, are the candles or bespoke fragrance available for guests at ‘David Toutain’ to purchase at the restaurant or online? If not, will this be something you’ll be considering in the future?

DT: We would like to share the candles with the guests in the future. It is a work in progress.

Q9. Do you feel that your collaborated bespoke restaurant fragrance trend will set a new precedence in the fine dining industry with other esteemed restaurants eventually following suit?

DT: It is important for me to be me and do what feels right. To work with Blaise Mautin feels very organic and natural, which I love. It is something nice and unique. If other restaurants and chefs want to follow suit, then yes, of course.

BM: David Toutain’s vision no doubt will be a great influence in the future for other gastronomic restaurants, you’ll see.

Q10. In each of your respective fields of haute cuisine and bespoke fragrance, you are both top experts. Please share a secret of your specialty that makes your expertise in it so unique.

DT: It is not a secret, but it is important to know your identity and to just be you, to be the very best of you.

BM: I believe when you put in a great deal of work along with your heart, love, and passion into something, you can move mountains.

The post Exclusive Interview With 2 Star Michelin Chef David Toutain And World-Renown Bespoke Parfumer Blaise Mautin On Their Recent Collaboration Of The Highly Esteemed Restaurant ‘David Toutain’ (Paris, France) appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Mayfair is "posh" London. The affluent West End London area borough has been an upper-class playground since the 18th century. Its maze-like streets and storied arcades remain a favored shopping, eating, and socializing destination for the world's elite. It's the neighborhood recognized as the most expensive property square in the British version of a Monopoly game board.

For the steep prices it demands, Mayfair has a lot to offer in culture, cuisine, sophistication, and style.

Mayfair Hotels

While historic Mayfair hotels like Claridge's and The Dorchester have pampered royal guests, for a sense of prestige, stay at The Ritz. Opened in 1906 as the first steel-framed building in London, this world-famous hotel is an unparalleled example of British refinement.

Steep in the tradition of an English afternoon tea in The Ritz' glorious Palm Court, or dine under crystal chandeliers in the Michelin-starred Ritz restaurant led by Executive Chef, John Williams MBE.

Rooms at The Ritz feature antique period furniture and five-star service. The decadent Trafalgar Suite is decorated in colors representing Admiral Nelson's victory over the combined Franco-Spanish fleet.

The glamour of The Ritz' atmosphere is ironically entwined with England's war history. Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower, and Charles de Gaulle once talked World War II strategy in the elegant Marie Antoinette Suite.

Mayfair Shopping

Shepherd Market is considered to be the village center of Mayfair, but shoppers looking for the best high-end designer stores and exclusive boutiques head to Bond Street.

Armani, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, and Louis Vuitton all have storefronts on Bond. Just behind Bond Street, is the covered Burlington Arcade, running from Piccadilly to Burlington Gardens, this handsome colonnade includes Chanel and Manolo Blahnik among its desirable upmarket retailers and high-fashion boutiques.

Collectors in the market for a rare Rolex or Patek Philippe should explore Armour-Winston, Bond street's most trusted vintage watch supplier.

Mayfair Art and Culture

Two famous musicians lived on Brook Street in Mayfair. George Frederic Handel had a flat there, while Jimi Hendrix called the same place home more than 200 years later.

The Royal Academy of Arts is located in Burlington House and The Fine Art Society is one of many galleries on New Bond Street displaying both established and contemporary artists' work for savvy collectors.

Mayfair Dining

There is an abundance of fine dining options in Mayfair. The whimsical Sketch offers contemporary French and vegetarian fusion in a setting reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film.

Hours after Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, she became the first royal to eat in public at Quagliano's (called "Quags" by locals) enjoying the upmarket Euro-style brasserie that always hosts a well-heeled clientele.

For more Eastern flavors, Hakkassan and Nobu offer upscale Cantonese and Japanese fine-dining experiences.

The upscale Nobu chain has locations in Dubai, Hong Kong, Cape Town, Melbourne, and Mexico, but this Mayfair London location is a favorite of Kendall Jenner, Megan McKenna, and Matt Damon. Drake ate here after performing with Rihanna at the BRITS.

Celebrities love the low-calorie healthy Japanese food that Chef Nobu Matsuhisa is famous for.

Mayfair Member's Clubs

One feature that makes Mayfair so exclusive is its high-volume of private members' clubs. You have to be a member or get an invite to one of these opulent hangouts where celebrities and royalty sip cocktails on leather couches, enjoying the freedom found behind locked doors.

Morton's private members' club is a restaurant, lounge, and nightclub that offers a refined yet relaxed experience. The panoramic balcony provides beautiful views of Berkeley Square Gardens, while an art deco basement nightclub called 2&8 has a spacious dance floor, DJ booth and a bar, making it a perfect setting for fashion shows or deluxe parties.

Meghan Markle enjoyed a dinner recently at Little House, a private club opened by the Soho House group. This quiet house in Mayfair includes a restaurant, drawing room, and salon bar decorated with art by Taryn Simon and Jenny Holzer.

Visitors may bump into members Keira Knightley or James Corden enjoying the "subversively casual" atmosphere that is trademark here.

Mayfair Property

With the dust settling from the Brexit decision, London real estate is ramping up. Many historic Mayfair properties are enjoying a contemporary redressing these days as the resident profile trends younger.

Rap and style icon of the moment, A$AP Rocky bought a flat in Mayfair because unlike most of the places he goes, "they don't know who I am over there, they don't care about me that's why I love it."

Photo by Knight Frank

Twenty Grosvenor Square, a Four Seasons Private Residence, will be complete this summer. The building will offer 37 private residences including 3 luxury penthouses.

This world-class development will combine the comforts of home with the 24-hour concierge, valet services, and amazing amenities that characterize the Four Seasons.

With its established Victorian wealth mingling with the recent influx of the young elite, the grand squares of Mayfair stand to remain the symbol of posh London living.

The post Mayfair Is Peak London Luxury appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.