Internationally renowned chef Christophe Leroy has come up with a new culinary concept, when filling your face could be good for your face. Delphine Stefens checked out the menu at his flagship restaurant in St Tropez
Christophe Leroy’s Eternity Food concept made its debut on the menu at Les Moulins de Ramatuelle this summer. Claiming it will “add minutes to your life when you eat”, this charming and hospitable chef, looking younger than his years, has created an anti-ageing menu that could revolutionize eating-out habits. A concept developed with friend and adviser Didier Audebert, the Eternity Food menu, at €46 for a three course meal (without drinks) only combines foods that are known to be exceptionally high in antioxidants such as goji berries, oily fish, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, Brussels sprouts and the like.
With a number of restaurants and hotels to his name around the world, Leroy also runs an event planning and catering company that has given him the reputation of party planner to the rich and famous.
With a new restaurant in Miami on the cards, his heart and soul, and that of his cuisine, is nevertheless still nurtured every summer in St Tropez.
After a prize-winning debut in St Tropez as chef at the Chateau de la Messardière, Leroy opened his first restaurant, La Table du Marché, in 1992. An instant hit, it still exists today and has branches in the French Alps resort Avoriaz, the Caribbean island St Martin, and Marrakech in Morocco.
In 1998, Leroy opened Les Moulins de Ramatuelle on the Route des Plages, between the Bay of Pampelonne and St Tropez port. More a provençal country house than a mill in appearance, it boasts five rustic bedrooms and is set in a tree-shaded garden, with an impressive kitchen garden, surrounded by vines. With food prepared by chef Marc Alès, the restaurant is open seven days a week for both lunch and dinner and the food meets all expectations.
Living dangerously, I risked premature ageing to try alternatives to Eternity Food. Lunch options include a courgette risotto and a beef stew or daube de joue de boeuf; then there’s roasted pineapple with orange or rum baba. For dinner, a classic at this address is chilled potato soup with truffles; but the ravioli with truffles and celery is definitely also worth the effort as is galette de pigeonneau with cabbage and foie gras. And a beautiful veal chop with chanterelle mushrooms and almonds coming in a close second. Side dishes include phenomenal mashed potato with truffles, or potato pie, also with truffles.
Bottom line: One night/two people including breakfast from €277; lunch menu from €29 (two courses); six course Signature menu €129 (excluding drinks).
Hôtel Les Moulins de Ramatuelle Route des Plages 83350 Ramatuelle France T. +33 (0)4 94 97 17 22 www.christophe-leroy.com