Restaurant Guy Savoy, Paris

As one of the culinary godfathers of modern haute cuisine, Guy Savoy’s 3-star Michelin restaurant in the heart of Paris is still setting the standards for others to aspire to.

From the moment you step through the door you are taking part in a gastronomic stage act extraordinaire, every word uttered, every glass placed and every dish described, falls of the tongues of the smooth talking waiters as if they were born to work here – as if Guy Savoy had cultivated them in his kitchen like the concoctions that arrive throughout the meal.

If you have eaten in a Michelin starred restaurant elsewhere, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the service and the atmosphere would be rather stuffy, uptight and serious. It couldn’t be more different at Guy Savoy. The Maitre d’ and all his waiting staff have a polished sense of humour and clearly relish making their guests chuckle by essentially making fun of the traditional stuffy Michelin restaurant image. The bread waiter introduced himself, saying “I am the bread guy. Normally they keep me locked in the back of the kitchen but tonight I have been released to serve you this delicious bread”.

The food, of course, is legendary. Gordon Ramsay trained for a while under the innovative eye of Guy Savoy, but Ramsay still aspires to be as inventive as the Paris stalwart. Savoy’s food is creative, ground breaking; a cacophony of flavours, textures and colours; the mixture of carbs and proteins expertly observed. We opted for the tasting menu which included a number of Savoy’s signature dishes. All were superb.

Needless to say, the wine list is hefty enough to spend a whole evening reading through, but there are plenty of bottles within a reasonable price range. The pace of the meal is consistent but never pushy. We sat down to eat at 8.30pm, and departed at around 12.30am, our trousers ready to burst and in need of a lay down. In fact I have never been so full, and so satisfied.

During the meal Guy Savoy himself made an appearance, moving from table to table to greet his contented customers. He works the restaurant every night, rather than being at home mulling over his next business plans like so many top chefs these days. He knows what he is doing in this little restaurant, and that is setting standards and keeping the benchmark high for all who may follow in his shoes.

Dining at Restaurant Guy Savoy is like attending an opera, a theatrical production of the highest order. If you are visiting Paris and if you are serious about food, you simply must dine here (but don’t forget to book at least a month or more in advance). If ever there was a spiritual home for the bon vivant, it would be here at Guy Savoy.