Emmanuel Renaut is the chef-owner of the three Michelin star restaurant Flocons de Sel in Megeve. Tucked away in a beautiful ski-resort town on this Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps, Renaut's celebrated dining establishment serves up surprising and harmonious renditions of traditional dishes from the Haute-Savoie region, all prepared with fresh alpine ingredients. Reservations for tables have already been made as far ahead as February 2015.
Chef Emmanuel Renaut of three Michelin star Restaurant Flocons de Sel.
A little over two weeks from now, however, the eminent French chef may well have to hang a "closed" sign on his restaurant's door as he'll be jetting off to Bangkok for a worthy cause: the 7th Bangkok Post Charity Wine Dinner, set to take place on the evening of Oct 27 at Fifty Five restaurant at Centara Grand at CentralWorld.
Over the past few years, Bangkok has welcomed a constant stream of world-class culinary sensations, with star-studded chefs practically rubbing shoulders with one another as they fly in and out of this food-crazed metropolis of ours. Renaut is, however, the very first three Michelin star chef to prepare a grand repast in the City of Angels this year.
Recently honoured with the title "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" (Best French Craftsman) by the French government, Renaut was trained in Paris and started his career at the famous Hotel de Crillon working under chef Christian Constant. He later moved on to Marc Veyrat's Michelin-starred Auberge de l'Eridan in Megeve, where he was assistant chef for seven years.
In 1999, after running the kitchens at Claridge's in London, Renaut returned to Megeve and set up a place of his own: Flocons de Sel. The restaurant earned him his first Michelin star in 2003, a second in 2006 and the third in 2012. That same year, he was named Meilleur Ouvrier de France, succeeding Jean-Francois Piege (2011), Gilles Goujon (2010) and Eric Frechon (2009).
Expecting to welcome 75 benevolent epicures to the gorgeous, cloud-nine gastronomic setting of Fifty Five restaurant, the 7th Bangkok Post Charity Wine Dinner will feature a very distinctive, seven-course menu by Renaut.
According to Robert Maurer-Loeffler, general manager of the Centara Grand at CentralWorld, it took great culinary trust and a charitable heart to bring Renaut, who usually doesn't work outside Europe, all the way to Thailand.
Part of the credit is due to Hugo Coudurier, chef de cuisine at Centara Grand at CentralWorld, a compatriot of Renaut's who hails from the same Haute-Savoie region and, at one point, trained under the same culinary mentor, Guy Savoy. Thanks to that good connection, when Coudurier gave him a call and told him what the Bangkok event was all about, Renaut gladly accepted the invitation.
For his Bangkok debut, Renaut will present an autumnal menu, mimicking the gourmet line-up currently on offer at the snowcapped Flocons de Sel, as well as a few of his own signature dishes.
"His cuisine is known to be very flavourful with a very clean and modern presentation, delicately using various cooking techniques to execute and season the dish," said Maurer-Loeffler.
Renaut will be bringing a pastry chef and two assistants with him from Megeve to ensure the utmost perfection. The 20-strong crew at Fifty Five will also be on hand, of course, to ensure the visiting chef gets exactly what he needs.
"He already sent me a list of specific ingredients he will need for his cooking in Bangkok," Coudurier said.
"I am arranging to have everything ready for him here, whether they be the Alba truffle, which is now in season; the venison and some specific herbs from the Alps; and the burbot, a small monk fish from Lake Geneva. This line-caught fish, regarded as a Lake Geneva delicacy, is highly cherished for its good taste. Even the hay, which he will use for smoking, will come from France."
Renaut's five-star cuisine will be paired with a magnificent repertoire of fine wine from France and Austria.
"For a grand dinner like this, guests always expect to have illustrious wines," Maurer-Loeffler said. "But instead of offering some typical big names, the dinner will feature a unique line-up of French wines, including a boutique, biodynamic champagne; two Burgundy wines; two Bordeaux wines; and cuvee kracher wine, which has become famous all around the world in recent years, from Eiswein, Austria, to beautifully finish off the dinner."
The evening will wrap up with an auction of hard-to-find premium and private collection label wines.
The Bangkok Post Charity Wine Dinner was initiated in August 2010 to raise necessary funds for the Bangkok Post Foundation, which over the past 34 years has supported hundreds of underprivileged schoolchildren across Thailand.
The foundation was established in 1982 with its main objective being to give children from poor families the same opportunity to attend school as others. From its start with just eight children, the foundation is now supporting more than 200 students from primary to university levels in 32 provinces.
The Bangkok Post Charity Wine Dinner is one of the Foundation's several fund-raising projects to encourage contributions from generous donors. The six previous editions of the event were hosted at restaurants throughout the capital, including Lord Jim's restaurant of the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok; Fifty Five restaurant of Centara Grand at CentralWorld; New York Steakhouse of JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok; and, most recently, Fireplace Grill of the InterContinental Bangkok.
Robert Maurer-Loeffler of the Centara Grand at CentralWorld.
As a third-time host and key organiser of the charitable wine dinner, Maurer-Loeffler said it's always an honour to hold such a high-minded affair.
"The first year Centara Grand at CentralWorld played host to the Bangkok Post Charity Wine Dinner, we brought in a one Michelin star chef. For the second year, we brought a two Michelin star chef. I said that we would bring a three Michelin star chef for our third participation and I have certainly kept my promise," said the hotel's general manager.
Maurer-Loeffler also added that because Renaut would be one of the few three Michelin star chefs to come to Bangkok this year, it's the dinner event that discerning gastronomes should not miss.
"Normally, you need to book three months in advance to reserve a table at Chef Renaut's 30-seat restaurant, so it would be better that you book a table here."
