When Laurent Lapaire founded Agapé 10 years ago, he had no idea it would be such a resounding success. Admittedly, this man of taste and the art of the table – ex-directeur de salle to Alain Passard at L’Arpège – had not fallen out of the nest, with his extensive experience in top-class catering, but Laurent was able to unearth his “talents” in a way that few master chefs are capable of. And the list is as long as it is talented: Bertrand Grébaut (Septime), Guillaume Bracaval (executive chef at Cuisine (Michel Troisgros), Yohan Lemonnier (L’Initial) in Caen, Gaëtan Gentil (Prairial) for Agapé Substance, Toshitaka Omiya (L’alliance), sommelier Guillaume Muller (Garance) Mathieu Sagardoytho from the kitchens of Le Bristol, David Toutain for Agapé Substance and now to Yoshitaka Takayanagi who has been working with him for 2 years.
As the seasons go by, Laurent Lapaire sets his 35 place settings in a room with discreet walls and a décor inspired by the movement of foam. The atmosphere is benevolent, and Laurent is a master of service, somewhere between a guide to gastronomy and a discreet distance from the tasting experience.
On the other side of the room, Yoshitaka Takayanagi likes to cook to music, classical music to be exact. It’s funny how some of the details come across on the plate, as the 37-year-old Japanese chef, who graduated from Le Grand Véfour, signs off on dishes that are just right, compositions punctuated by the experience of flavors, the experience of flavors that are simply right; when Japanese finesse meets French gastronomy. On this particular evening, burrata, asparagus, red tuna and frogs for the savory side, aloe vera and grand cru chocolate for the sweet side, follow one another in a very rigorous composition, accompanied by the impeccable wine pairings of sommelier Gabriel Guinnebault.
butters
parmesan
tacos
burrata heart, kiwi and sorbet sorrel
green asparagus, candied egg yolk and sardines
red tuna tataki, horseradish vinaigrette, Kabu turnip
breaded frogs’ legs, chive sabayon, black garlic condiment and watercress risotto
aloe vera, umeschu liqueur and lemon caviar
grand cru guanaja chocolate, Tahitian vanilla, Ethiopian mocha
hazelnut financier with red fruit paste> (in French)
// L’Agapé – 51 Rue Jouffroy d’Abbans 75017 Paris – agape-paris.fr
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