Translated by Bethszabee Garner

An icon of French gastronomy, Guy Savoy has established himself as one of the greatest ambassadors of French taste and art de vivre. Behind his exceptional dishes, we discover a curious, contemplative, and passionate man whose dreams are nourished as much by landscapes and works of art as by encounters around the table.

Yves Derai: Are you a dreamer?

Guy Savoy: More of a contemplative. I need concrete things. I only daydream when I'm in an inspiring environment. Museums, galleries, landscapes... And I have to be alone. I daydream on a chairlift in the mountains.

Yves Derai: Do you ever dream about cooking?

G.S.: Yes, my ex-wife used to tell me that because I talk in my sleep. About foie gras, recipes. I don't know if I still do, my new partner is a heavy sleeper.

Yves Derai: Is there a classic French dish that you would have loved to have created?

G.S.: The guy who invented béarnaise sauce is a genius. Precisely because it's not complicated, I would have loved to have invented it. (He searches the internet.) In fact, it started as a failure! In 1837, Collinet messed up his shallot reduction. To salvage it, he had the idea of adding an egg yolk and whipping it with butter. Well done! But be careful, it must be cooked quickly. For it to be perfect, it has to be served piping hot.

Yves Derai: Is there a restaurant you'd love to go to?

G.S.: I would love to go back to my mother's restaurant. It was so good. And it would make me feel 60 years younger!

Yves Derai: What about new places?

G.S.: I'm going to China in July to discover some great restaurants, and I'm really excited about it. I like to discover a culture beyond its cuisine.

Yves Derai: What kind of restaurants do you like to go to?

G.S.: Places where I can enjoy myself. When I arrive in Vegas, I like to dine at a good steakhouse because it puts me in an American mood. And when I go home to the mountains, I like to start the weekend with raclette, the ultimate mountain dish.

Yves Derai: How do people react in a restaurant when they see Guy Savoy?

G.S.: I'm the most pleasant guest you could imagine. I always turn my back to the dining room so I'm not tempted to observe everything. I don't inspect! In general, the idea is to treat myself to a moment of relaxation.

Yves Derai: Is there a foreign cuisine you dream of mastering?

G.S.: Japanese precision, yes. Certain Italian pastas that I discovered in Tuscany, too. Once, I asked the chef how he managed to make them so good. His secret was to put a goose egg in the dough! There are exceptional things in all cuisines. Meatballs in Iran, basmati rice in Mauritius, etc. In Morocco, women have an incredible feel for it.

Yves Derai: Are there any celebrities you dream of cooking for?

G.S.: I've already been very spoiled in terms of guests! Stars, heads of state, a 103-year-old woman last week who brought the room to life... But if we're dreaming, Julia Roberts. She's never been here.

Yves Derai: The call is out... And are there any celebrities you would refuse to welcome?

G.S.: None. Because I have a weakness for believing that food can make people better. So, no, I won't give in.

Yves Derai: Was it a dream to be named the world's best chef by La Liste?

G.S.: It's not “best chef,” it's “best restaurant.” Because this restaurant is unique. From the window, you can see the Louvre, the Pont-Neuf, the Seine, Paris at its most beautiful... I have fabulous works of art hanging on the walls…

Yves Derai: Aren't you being overly modest? The chef and his cuisine also count for something in this ranking, don't they?

G.S.: Yes, but if I served the same dishes in the third basement of a parking garage, I wouldn't be the “best restaurant in the world.” I'm aware of that.

Yves Derai: What professional dreams still drive you?

G.S.: I don't have any. I'm lucky to be able to do this job in ideal conditions. I have the best suppliers, the best colleagues, a place I love, which means that my passion has turned into an addiction. I need to be here. The restaurant is a university where I learn every day. I leave after midnight because I chat with the guests after dinner, and that nourishes me.

Yves Derai: Is there another profession that you dream of?

G.S.: No. I was programmed at birth to do this one. In complete freedom.

Yves Derai: Today, the profession of chef is the dream of thousands of young people. Why?

G.S.: It's a globalized profession in the best sense of the word. You can be in Peru, Kosovo, or Korea and dream of being a chef. When you go to a food market, you find a diversity of quality products that are flooding the planet. In fact, cuisine has been greatly enriched over the past twenty years.

Yves Derai: Are television and social media good for cuisine?

G.S.: Yes, they have given this profession a certain prestige. Young people who dream of becoming chefs are no longer ashamed to say so. And that's largely thanks to television.

Yves Derai: Which French president has been the most supportive of French gastronomy?

G.S.: Paradoxically, Nicolas Sarkozy, even though he doesn't like to eat much. It was thanks to his efforts that it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And President Macron, who has sponsored numerous events related to gastronomy and appointed a special ambassador, Guillaume Gomez.

Yves Derai: Do you sometimes see people fulfilling their dreams by treating themselves to dinner at Guy Savoy?

G.S.: Yes, of course. But I don't question my customers' status or fame; they are all equal in my eyes. But it's true that when a customer tells me, “We cut our car budget so we could come to your restaurant regularly,” I find that touching. For others, the sacrifices will be for the Opera.

Yves Derai: What is your ultimate dream?

G.S.: Wide open spaces. But I get to enjoy that every weekend.

Yves Derai: And your unattainable dream?

G.S.: I'm not very materialistic. But if I could have my own museum with Van Goghs, Soulages, and Picassos at home, I wouldn't say no!

Featured image credit: Stéphane de Bourgies

An article written by Yves Derai, featured in issue 12 of OniriQ magazine.