Christian Garcia spent almost 40 years cooking for Monaco’s princely family; now, newly retired and appointed Prince Albert II’s Personal Representative for Gastronomy, he has brought the Principality’s cuisine to Strasbourg — and with it, a case that Monégasque cooking is far richer than its clichés.
From 28th September to 4th October, the Semaine Gastronomique Monégasque is bringing the Principality’s flavours, traditions and chefs to the Brasserie des Haras in Strasbourg, a showcase of a cuisine rooted in Mediterranean terroir and paced by the seasons. It is among the first outings of Garcia’s new role, created by Sovereign decision from 1st September to carry Monaco’s culinary heritage beyond its borders. Monaco Life met him there to discuss what makes the Principality’s kitchen distinctive.
A cuisine shaped by land and sea
Monaco’s cooking is rooted in a demanding geography. With little room to grow grain, the Principality turned early to citrus farming as an export crop, and its people lived by the harvest cycles of olives, citrus fruits and aromatic herbs.
That Riviera heritage gave rise to specialities handed down through the generations. Barbagiuans — the emblematic fried, stuffed pastries — were traditionally eaten during Lent, while fougasse, scented with anise and orange blossom, remains tied to Christmas. Close to both Provence and Liguria, Monégasque cooking keeps nuances all its own, perpetuated by each family from one neighbourhood to the next.
A menu rooted in heritage and conservation
The menu Garcia has created for the week draws directly on that inheritance of land, sea and tradition. Diners are offered refined takes on local classics — starters such as the cappuccino de courge au fenouil “Comme à Rocagel”, a nod to the Prince’s private estate garden, followed by mains including the filet de loup Monte-Carlo, served with crunchy fennel, saffron-infused mashed potato and a jus made from lionfish. The choice of that invasive Mediterranean species is a quiet statement in itself, echoing Prince Albert II’s long-standing commitment to marine conservation.
Garcia also carried a bottle of liqueur de caroube — carob liqueur — to Strasbourg to fold into his cooking. Made from the carob tree, Monaco’s national tree, whose pods once served as a lifeline in times of hardship, it ties the menu to the Principality’s history and enduring identity.
The Princely table: from garden to plate
Garcia’s authority to speak for that heritage is hard-earned. He arrived at the Palace in 1987, aged 23, for what was meant to be a seven-month replacement, and stayed almost four decades, serving Prince Rainier III and then Prince Albert II, and cooking for state guests from Queen Elizabeth II to Nelson Mandela. A former president of the Club des Chefs des Chefs — the exclusive circle of chefs to heads of state — he has carried Monégasque cuisine around the world.
“Representing Monaco’s gastronomy is a great pride,” he tells Monaco Life. “Through my travels across the world representing the Palace and the Prince of Monaco, Monégasque cuisine is now known and appreciated internationally.”
He describes Prince Albert II as a true gourmet devoted to Mediterranean cooking and “the cuisine of the sun”, and is precise about where the Palace’s ingredients began. “Every single day, we were delighted to receive vegetables harvested right from his private estate at Rocagel,” he says. “The Prince has always taken immense pleasure in sharing the food from his own garden with his guests – 100% organic, untouched by chemicals.”
Fresh vegetables, courgette flowers, eggs and farm cheeses, produced by a dedicated team, reflected that insistence on natural quality. “For me, it has always been a true privilege to serve food that travels directly from the gardener’s hands to the Prince’s table.”
Four decades on, having cooked for Prince Rainier, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, Garcia closes that chapter without a trace of regret. “Every morning, I woke up with a smile,” he says. “And when you have that, you can say that you had a good life.”
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Chef Christian Garcia at the Brasserie des Haras in Strasbourg for the Semaine Gastronomique Monégasque. Photo credit: Manuel Vitali