Dior Menu at the Relais Plaza     

Durante le settimane della haute couture e del prêt-à-porter, Le Relais Plaza, il ristorante dell’Hotel Plaza Athénée, propone un menù ispirato a un libro di ricette di Christian Dior. È l’occasione giusta per ripercorrere il legame esistente tra la Maison e il palazzo emblematico di Parigi.

È proprio a pochi passi dall’edificio, infatti, al numero 30 di Avenue Montaigne, che Christian Dior apre la sua casa di moda nel 1946.

Lo stilista sceglie immediatamente il Plaza come suo luogo di predilezione e d’ispirazione. La facciata fa regolarmente da sfondo alle sue creazioni, immortalate dal fotografo Willy Maywald. Se alcuni modelli hanno nomi più evocativi come Plaza o Athénée, l’iconico tailleur Bar della prima collezione è un omaggio all’appuntamento imperdibile con questo luogo parigino, perfetto per andare a bere qualcosa a fine giornata.

Le modelle dell’atelier vengono qui per rilassarsi dopo lunghe ore di prove, sfoggiando abiti da cocktail firmati Dior che la clientela straniera altolocata guarda con ammirazione. Del resto le indossatrici sono sempre le benvenute al Relais Plaza.

Questo elegante bistrot in puro stile Art Déco diventa il ritrovo di uomini d’affari sempre di corsa, di teste coronate alla ricerca di raffinatezza o di artisti che si ritrovano qui numerosi all’uscita dal teatro degli Champs-Élysées.

In omaggio all’amore di Christian Dior per questo luogo emblematico e alla sua passione per la buona tavola, Philippe Marc e l’équipe del Relais Plaza, sotto la guida dello chef stellato Alain Ducasse, hanno immaginato un menù ispirato direttamente a La Cuisine Cousu-Main, pubblicato nel 1972. L’opera, illustrata dall’amico fidato dello stilista, il disegnatore René Gruau, riunisce 95 tra le varie ricette che Christian Dior amava far preparare per i suoi ospiti.

Un incontro tra alta moda e alta cucina: si comincia con «Uova alla russa», richiamo a uno dei piatti preferiti del grande maestro, per poi proseguire con un «Rombo alla champenoise», una rivisitazione della salsa a base di panna e funghi che Christian Dior amava come accompagnamento al pesce. E per finire, una «Kaluga cioccolato-caffè-mango».

Un viaggio nel tempo per sedersi a tavola con un Christian Dior ancora sconosciuto, fine palato e buona forchetta.

“In every collection there was a suit we expected to be a success that we called Bobby, and dresses called Paris, New York, London or even Plaza in tribute to the capitals and places my calling allowed me to frequent.” Christian Dior

30 Avenue Montaigne, February 12, 1947. For his very first fashion show, Christian Dior had already named one of his creations Plaza, a superstitious little nod to the location where he had chosen to open his couture house.

The designer had, years before, stopped short in front of the hôtel particulier at 30 Avenue Montaigne, and had promised himself that if he were to launch his couture house it would be “there, and nowhere else”. He loved this very elegant, deeply Parisian avenue. In 1946, the mansion of his dreams became available – it was a sign – and he moved in.

Already, Dior loved the Plaza Athénée. In his view, it was one of the most beautiful hotels in the French capital and certainly the most re ned, with its red awnings, geranium- lled balconies, gold lettering and subtle luxury. He often lunched there and felt right at home – it was like a second home, right next to his of ce and couture ateliers. His models regularly posed in front of the hotel and the bar, the utmost in Parisian chic, inspired the legendary Bar suit from the spring-summer 1947 collection – it was the perfect out t for having a cocktail at the bar. The designer loved the hotel’s proximity to his fashion house; what’s more, it is why he chose to set up shop on this avenue. Dior dreamed of an elegant, cosmopolitan clientele, and he judged right: the biggest stars, including the greatest American actresses, stayed at the Plaza. What he didn’t know was that they, like Marlene Dietrich, would soon stay at the palace hotel for its proximity to the Maison Dior.

Christian Dior loved food, and he was above all a true gourmet. He appreciated ne cuisine and simple recipes in equal measures. While he adored traditional French cuisine and was passionate about it, exotic culinary in uences piqued his palate’s curiosity. A believer in excellence in every domain, he is known to have entertained admirably, and his dinners enjoyed superb renown.

Between 30 Avenue Montaigne and 25 Avenue Montaigne there are ties based on friendship, gourmet pleasures and a mutual admiration that exists to this day. The chef Philippe Marc, supervised by Alain Ducasse, drew inspiration from “Cuisine Cousu-Main”, a book of Monsieur Dior’s favorite recipes, to create a Dior menu at Le Relais Plaza, the restaurant of the hotel Plaza Athénée, featuring dishes from land and sea with, for dessert, a touch of delicate exoticism.

« Il y avait dans chaque collection un tailleur présumé à succès qu’on appelait Bobby et des robes baptisées Paris, New York, Londres ou encore le Plaza à la gloire des capitales et des lieux que mon métier m’appelait à fréquenter » Christian Dior

30 avenue Montaigne, 12 Février 1947. Pour son tout premier, dé lé Christian Dior nomme déjà l’une de ses créations Plaza, comme un clin d’œil superstitieux au quartier qu’il a choisi pour établir sa maison de couture.

Le couturier, tombé en arrêt des années auparavant devant l’hôtel particulier du 30 avenue Montaigne, s’est fait la promesse que s’il venait à créer sa maison ce serait « là, et pas ailleurs ». Il aime cette avenue, d’une grande élégance, et si profondément parisienne. En 1946, l’hôtel particulier tant désiré se libère – c’est un signe – et il s’y installe.

Déjà, Dior aime le Plaza Athénée. C’est à ses yeux l’un des plus beaux hôtels de la capitale, certainement le plus raf né, avec ses stores rouges, ses balcons euris de géraniums, ses lettres d’or et la subtilité de son luxe. Il y déjeune d’ailleurs souvent et s’y sent chez lui- un autre chez lui tout près de son bureau et des ateliers. Ses mannequins posent régulièrement devant l’hôtel, et le bar, comble du chic parisien, lui inspire le légendaire tailleur Bar pour le printemps-été 1947 comme la tenue parfaite pour aller y boire un cocktail. La proximité de l’hôtel avec sa maison plaît au couturier: mieux, c’est aussi pour cela qu’il a choisi de s’établir sur cette avenue. Il a rêvé d’une clientèle d’élégantes, cosmopolites, et il a vu juste : les plus grandes stars, dont les grandes actrices américaines, descendent au Plaza. Ce qu’il ignore, c’est que bientôt, comme Marlène Dietrich, elles y viendront pour la proximité du Palace avec la maison Dior.

Christian Dior, grand gourmand, est avant tout un gourmet. Il apprécie la grande cuisine autant que les recettes plus simples. S’il adore la cuisine française traditionnelle et se passionne pour elle, les in uences culinaires exotiques piquent la curiosité de son palais. Fidèle à l’excellence dans tous les domaines, il est connu pour recevoir admirablement, et sa table jouit d’une superbe renommée.

Du 30 avenue Montaigne au 25 avenue Montaigne, c’est une relation d’amitié, de gourmandise, d’admiration réciproque qui dure encore aujourd’hui. Le chef Philippe Marc, sous la supervision d’Alain Ducasse s’est inspiré de la Cuisine Cousu-main, livre des recettes préférées de Monsieur Dior, pour imaginer un dîner Dior au restaurant Le Relais Plaza de l’hôtel Plaza Athénée. Entre terre et mer, avec, en dessert, une pointe, légère, d’un exotisme doux.