The lines begin to break in the complex universe of Robuchon, which has been going on for years as if nothing were happening. In Las Vegas, Christophe de Lellis, a pillar of the master's eponymous restaurant for thirteen years, has decided to leave and start his own venture in Dallas.
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No more bending over to meticulously dot every point on the round edge of the plate. Despite the popularity of the Joël Robuchon restaurant in Las Vegas, sold out months in advance, and his personal popularity with customers eager to meet and see him in action, for Christophe de Lellis, the time has finally come to open his own place after 13 years in the shadow of the French culinary giant, 7 of which were spent as the chef.
“It was magnificent to work with a celebrity like Robuchon and carry on his legacy all these years. When you work in such an environment, you create dishes through the Robuchon filter. You are never truly yourself. I've been here for 13 years, now I want to do something that is 100% mine,” he confesses to Eater.
He will still remain in the United States, where he arrived in 2010 from France and immediately joined Robuchon, leaving in 2014 to take on the role of chef at Sage and then returning as an executive in 2017 at the age of 27. A unique restaurant with racing carts and luxury on the plate, like only in Paris, which has maintained its excellence over the years after the founder's death in 2018.
Since Christmas 2023, Eleazar Villanueva has taken his place; while De Lellis is heading to Dallas, where Mamani awaits him, a modern European restaurant spanning 370 square meters, which he will build from scratch, from interiors to kitchens, to service style, with a deadline of the end of 2024. He envisions a more accessible and faster cuisine that doesn't require guests to be tied to their chairs for 3 hours. “Thinking about the Dallas market, I want people to come back every week if they want. This is the perfect time to start. There is a strong interest in the city, with major restaurants and hotels set to open in the next two years.”
