About a month ago, I received an email from the publicist for the Fauchon Hotel on place Madeleine, that the hotel was removing the beds from the rooms on one floor and converting them into private dining rooms. She also mentioned that the hotel manager was using one of the rooms to host private, one on one lunches, with journalists and wanted to know to if I was interested. I immediately said yes, as I was thrilled to actually go out for lunch, which I haven’t done since last summer.
I arrived at the hotel at 12pm, and met Maud Welter, the director of sales and marketing, who welcomed me to the hotel. We sat in the chicly designed lobby, decorated with sleek velvet club chairs, carpeting with sharp angles, and a streamlined fireplace built into a wall, all in the signature Fauchon colors of fuchsia, black, and white. Maud shared with me about the hotel and the new ways they were catering to their clientele. One of the first things is the new approach for checking in. Instead of having to wait online and check in at the desk, the hotel now greets their guest upon arrival, and checks them in while sitting down in the attractive lobby. Then they offer the client a welcome drink, either a glass of Champagne, or a non-alcoholic cocktail of their iced tea of the day. I decided to have iced tea, because if I started to have Champagne on an empty stomach before lunch, I would have been done in. The refreshing iced tea came in a stem glass, garnished with a purple flower, a cool touch, along with two macarons. A few minutes later Maud returned and escorted me to the restaurant, which was now converted into a retail shop, offering Fauchon packaged foods, including chocolates, tins of biscuits and cookies, nuts, crackers, teas, and an impressive collection of wines, spirits, and Champagnes.
We took the elevator to the top floor, where the dining suites were located. The rooms now had dining tables set up on configurations for two, four, and six people. The décor was similar to the lobby with the same colors, and in addition, couches, and Eileen Gray style side tables.
We sat for lunch at a table for four, because Maud was joining us with the hotel manager and another journalist who was invited at the last minute. Although I have a dining table at home that I like very much, it was nice to see a table set with a crisp white tablecloth, cloth napkins, china plates, and wine goblets, plus I especially liked the amber colored water glasses.
The hotel manager, Jerome Montanteme was warm and welcoming, and the other journalist was a French woman who now lived in London. She is a travel and design writer but was also involved in the artworld when she lived in New York for a stint and within five minutes of meeting, we already discovered we had a mutual friend from Manhattan.
We sat for lunch and the table in front of the window had a birds-eye view of the Madeleine church with the symmetry of the great columns surrounding it.
An appetizing platter of smoked salmon with blinis, was set on the table, and I indulged in the heavenly, slithery texture and smoky taste (Vincent doesn’t like smoked salmon, so we almost never have it at home).
Next was a house made ravioli with lobster and spring peas, served in a pool of light broth. In between courses, the conversation freely flowed about many different subjects with all of us getting on like a house on fire, almost like old friends, even though we had just met. I was repeatedly offered Champagne and wine, but I don’t usually drink at lunch, because it makes me sleepy later on. However, when my main course of hearty pork poitrine garnished with delicate yellow carrots was served, I knew that it needed a hearty glass of red wine to accompany it. Jerome was so kind, he said let me pick a special wine for you, a Morgon from the region near Lyon, where he grew up. The wine was fantastic and a perfect match for my dish. Jerome went on to passionately share about where he grew up and how great the wines were, and kindly offered to personally escort me to the region for a few days and introduce me to the wine makers he knew.
Last but not least was the piece de resistance, the iconic bisou-bisou ( kiss, kiss) dessert of a pair of red lips. Inside the famous lips, is a delicious combination of crunchy almonds, and red fruit with espelette pepper, vanilla and mint cream, which was light and scrumptious.
We were having so much fun, that we didn’t realize the time was flying by, as I looked at my watch and realized it was 3:30 already, and I had to leave. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and the company, and best of all, I didn’t have to wash the dishes after we were done.
Here are the details for the private dining rooms. In order to comply with the government issued Covid restrictions, Fauchon Hotel charges 100€ for the room, and considers it a hotel stay, which is legal. Under the current Covid laws, the hotel can’t serve food in its public space, but can deliver food to the hotel guests in their rooms. When you make your lunch reservation, the 100€ room fee is added to your check and you can have up to six people at one table. The program has been very successful and has been sold out for weeks at a time. You can call this number to make a reservation + 33 (0) 187 86 2800. By the way, if you make a reservation, you have to include me as one of your guests.
CLICK HERE to read my blog post about my visit to the Fauchon Hotel restaurant in 2019.
4 Boulevard Malesherbes, 75008
Tel. + 33 (0) 187 86 2800
https://www.hotel-fauchon-paris.fr/
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