Monaco: Fred Ramos and his azure cuisine | Gilles Pudlowski’s blog
Our correspondent from the Côte d’Azur leaves the Monegasque palaces for lunch at the Novotel in the Principality. We follow it there…
Frédéric Ramos, the chef of the Novotel Monte-Carlo, has integrated himself professionally with the cream of chefs. After Jo Rostang’s Bonne Auberge in Antibes, Vincent Miraglio’s Picadéro in Cagnes-sur-Mer, he will join Jacques Maximin who will become his mentor at the Diamant Rose in La Colle-sur-Loup. He will follow him when he takes charge of the kitchens of the Eden Casino in Juan-les-Pins. He also worked for some time with Georges Romano at the Vieux Murs in Antibes before heading the kitchens of the Grill in the same city dedicated to jazz.
It was in 2002 that he became his own boss by taking over the Jarre on the ramparts of the old town of Antibes. Three years later, he was offered the position of executive chef at the brand new Novotel in Monte-Carlo. He sold his business to Christian Morisset, who had two stars at Juana in Juan-les-Pins. For more than fourteen years now, he has been delighting a multitude of customers, both private individuals, professionals and delegates. The Azzurra Kitchen, a gourmet and relaxation area located on the mezzanine floor, reveals a welcoming modern room with an imposing artisanal chandelier and large bay windows that bathe it in light.
You can also tackle or have a drink around the swimming pool under the bioclimatic pergola. The atmosphere, decorated in soft multicolored hues, is described as the “Riviera of the world”, with the marine outfits of an attentive staff, like the dynamic Emilia who is busy serving the wine. Frédéric skilfully concocts sunny dishes, some of which come from the vegetable garden that he carefully maintains on the hotel terrace. We really liked the Provencal platter made up of zucchini flower fritters, spicy artichoke carpaccio, panisse fries and Niçoise caillette
But we also love the delicious “focaccia”-style toast topped with fillets of Mediterranean red mullet seasoned with wild garlic pesto. The turbot steak poached in sage, with the first fava beans, roasted white asparagus and wild asparagus from his friend René are also worth the detour. We will add the desserts of the talented Pascal Rischebé, including the “Caribbean” chocolate mousse with its tuile with the first strawberries from Carros and the crispy chocolate finger “Gianduja”, the caramelized Piedmont hazelnuts are nicely regressive. Here is an azure kitchen note on your tablets with a tip of the hat to the brunches of Saturdays and Sundays.
Azzurra Kitchen at the Novotel Monte-Carlo
16 Princess Charlotte Comics
98000Monaco
Phone. : +377 99 99 83 20
Hourly : 12 p.m.-3 p.m., 7 p.m.-11 p.m.
Weekly closing: Open always.
Meals: 21.50, 23.50 € (formulas, lunch), 29.50 € (weekday lunch)
Map : 50 €
To place : restaurantsandbars.accor.com