A new era: the restaurant as a “total work of art.” At Ducasse Baccarat, architecture becomes the secret ingredient.
The concept of haute cuisine is undergoing a profound metamorphosis. Today, a restaurant of excellence is no longer just a place to eat, but a complex narrative entity, similar to an art gallery or a theatrical performance. In this vision, the environment is not a simple complement to the food, but the element that shapes it. It is the pursuit of “total construction”: an immersive experience where design is not neutral; rather, it acts as a magnet for an audience that seeks a destination in the decorative gesture and atmosphere even before the menu. It is for this reason that Ducasse Baccarat was awarded the prestigious Prix Versailles during a ceremony held on Monday, December 4, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
Harmony between cuisine and space
In this setting of “hospitality in step with the times,” as Alain Ducasse himself defines it, cuisine must necessarily dialogue with aesthetics. And, in fact, the collective work led by Ducasse with Christophe Saintagne, Robin Schroeder, and dining room manager Claire Sonnet is designed precisely to “reinvent” the act of eating. In a place where the décor has such a disruptive personality, the service and dishes cannot simply contrast with it, but must vibrate at the same frequency, making the location as distinctive as the culinary technique.
Inside the “Chamber of Curiosities”
But what makes this space so special? The project, designed by Aliénor Béchu with the Volume ABC team, has transformed Marie-Laure de Noailles' former residence into a veritable “box of curiosities.” The absolute protagonist is crystal, treated not as an ornament, but as an architectural language. Above the tables, a “sky” of handmade crystal drops stands out, while site-specific works by artists such as Jean-Guillaume Mathiaut and Pierre-Yves Le Floc'h create a visual density that captures the eye. The stated goal of Laurence Nicolas (CEO of Baccarat) is pure emotion, a showcase for the brand's audacity and creative freedom.
Triumph at UNESCO: The Prix Versailles
It was precisely this aesthetic consistency that took Ducasse Baccarat to the top step of the podium during the latest Prix Versailles ceremony at UNESCO headquarters in Paris: the international architecture and design award thus confirmed the value of the project from a different perspective. The Prix Versailles does not judge the taste of the dish, but rewards the ability to create extraordinary public settings. This recognition legitimizes a clear vision: in a world where image precedes taste, the beauty of a space is, in itself, a compelling culinary argument.
