Robb Report: Alain Ducasse Sparked a Fine-Dining Revolution at Plaza Athénée. Now He’s Stepping Aside.
June 28, 2021
When news broke that chef Alain Ducasse would part ways with the luxurious, five-star hotel Plaza Athénée which, for the last 21 years housed a Michelin-starred restaurant bearing his name, jaws dropped in Paris’s food and media world.
Le Parisien newspaper called the news “seismic” and headlines in Le Point and Le Figaro both screamed “Alain Ducasse and the Plaza Athénée, they’re finished!” punctuated with dramatic exclamation marks.
The histrionics aren’t entirely misplaced. After all, restaurant Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée was one of the city’s most illustrious dining destinations, not only for its three Michelin stars, but for shaking up the world of haute gastronomy with a game-changing concept that took meat off a fine dining menu while focusing on pillars of sustainable, healthy and ethical consumption. Despite Ducasse’s myriad accomplishments, the move shows even the greats can get pushed out.
