Benoit Witz is a doyen of the Monaco gourmet scene and part of the original team that opened the Louis XV with Alain Ducasse. He’s had the blessing to begin his career in Lyon (an organic paradise) with cuisine’s royalty, apprenticing in Paul Bocuse’s kitchen before a role with Lenôtre at Pre Catalan in Paris and then ultimately achieving further prominence at L’Abbaye de La Celle in Brignolles where he had gained a Michelin star. Subsequently he took over at the Hermitage Hotel and then, just a stone’s throw away from his new nest at Monte Carlo Beach, took over the reins at Vistamar.
For any master chef that’s an aristocratic ascent to the top at the helm of Michelin-started Elsa, the original “Paolo Sari” designed organic table at Monte-Carlo Beach. Elsa is the first 100% organic starred table certified since 2013 by Ecocert (level 3).
For the new spring-summer 2020 season, and starting on March 20th, Benoit will offer local cuisine, highlighting close-by regional ingredients , featuring a generous and inspiring Mediterranean gastronomy. Elsa guided by Benoît is in the process of multiplying and intensifying its relationships with nearby estates and gardens in 2020. One of the advantages of organic is to be able to protect local French and Italian cultivators. Anticipate delights from the Jardin des Antipodes in Menton and the Domaine d’Agerbol by Virgilio Ferrari in Roquebrune Cap Martin which will allow the creation of new signature dishes à la carte like “Bagna Cauda”, early vegetables and wild flowers, mandarin avocado; Alpilles Lamb, almond milk and broad beans; local fish, sweet zucchini and citrus fruits from Cap Martin, or shellfish, calamari and crustaceans, cuttlefish ink pasta and sea bass. All these are already making exciting waves in the culinary press.
The menu will likely change every two months to follow seasonal fruits and vegetables, perhaps even from his own plantings in a garden in Beausoleil. Inspiration will come from the harvest – oxalis, nasturtiums, burnet, pineapple sage. Fish, of course, will feature prominently and from sustainable fisheries, most importantly the local Monaco based fishing vessel of Eric Rinaldi. There is a little meat too to offer variety on the menu.
Benoit Witz looks forward to sharing his experiences directly and advising his guests in the dining room. The wonderful location of the Beach offers great opportunities for open interaction that inspires innovation.
Benoît and his team aim to hit the ground running and have your taste-buds tingling with pleasure with his organic delights – be the first of the lucky flock of diners this March!
