On the track of culinary excellence

Christophe Bacquié grew up in Lumio, Corsica, in the familyowned hotel restaurant. Originally, he did not really see himself as a chef. When he enrolled in hotel management school, he rather wanted to learn the ropes of service, but then he was fascinated by the esprit and mentality of the great kitchen virtuosos he would meet over the years.

He first worked at The Montparnasse 25 and then at The Prestige in Paris, both of which introduced him to high-end gastronomy. Taking inspiration from Louis Outhier, a paternalistic and authoritative figure, and Stéphane Raimbault, a demanding technician, at L’Oasis in Mandelieu, he discovered the joy and passion of working with the finest products. Later in his career, during twelve years at La Villa in Calvi, he experienced fishermen delivering their still-living catch of the day to the restaurant on a daily basis. This has left an impression on the young chef, who even today meets with a trusted family of fishermen at the Sanary market every day to buy the freshest and very best fish for Hotel du Castellet.

Chef Christophe Bacquié holds the unique and prestigious title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France. It is only awarded to outstanding representatives of their profession who manage to win a trade contest held every four years. As M.O.F., the Corsican chef joins the ranks of such illustrious names as Paul Bocuse, Joël Robuchon or Michel Roux. Since 2018, the restaurant at Hotel du Castellet has held three Michelin stars. In the same year, Christophe Bacquié was named Chef of the Year by Le Chef magazine. Gault&Millau awards 5 toques and 19 out of a possible 20 points in recognition of the modern, imaginative cuisine.

The brigade at Hotel du Castellet takes gourmets on a culinary journey to the Mediterranean, making use of the generous palette of flavours and textures to be found there. No imposed set menus, no indecipherable dishes. Christophe Bacquié wants to meet the tastes of his guests and charge his dishes with emotion. Exceptional products, ninety per cent coming from local producers and honouring the Provençal terroir, take centre stage to tantalise the palate. Among the signature dishes are an astonishing Aïoli Moderne with octopus and market vegetables, or a delicate trio of Saint-Pierre, crab and caviar, enhanced by sour cream with a zest of kaffir lime.

In January 2023, Christophe Bacquié is in pole position to open the culinary year at restaurant Ikarus. Don’t miss the opportunity to taste your way along the ideal line with finely tuned dishes – course after course.