It’s been five months of design work, and years of creative development in the mind of Marcel Ravin, but finally, the two-Michelin starred Chef is happily welcoming patrons “home” to his new dining space at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort.
On 10th February, the Martinique chef symbolically took ownership of his flagship restaurant, renamed Blue Bay Marcel Ravin, during an inauguration honoured by the presence of Prince Albert II of Monaco. The new dining space marks the realisation of a dream for Chef Ravin, whose main aim is to evoke an emotion in his guests.
The award-winning chef is renowned for sharing his Caribbean history on the plate, but it appears as though Monte-Carlo SBM has given him carte blanche to take guests on a sensory and emotional journey into the entire universe of Marcel Ravin.
“When people come to my restaurant, they can expect to feel at home,” Chef Marcel Ravin told Monaco Life during a recent press dinner. “It is important that everyone feels at ease here, and that they understand what is inside me.”
Travel with the chef across the five continents
Drawing inspiration from the natural world, and in harmony with his cuisine, the Blue Bay Marcel Ravin is anchored in the five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood.
This is expressed in the intricate wave patterns on the tabletops, the textiles adorned with botanical motifs, the coral dividers, an interplay of lights, and the weathered metal marked by the passage of time.
The tableware alone is an elaborate artistic display – each plate carefully handmade to reflect an element, accompanied by bespoke glassware.
It all creates an overwhelming sense of calm, harmony and connection with the planet.
An open kitchen
At its core is the beating heart of the restaurant, an open kitchen that affords guests an intimate union with the chef and his brigade, seamlessly extending the culinary narrative from the kitchen to the dining space.
“It is important for clients to be able to see all of these people who are so important to the restaurant, and the work that it takes in order to create this menu,” says Chef Ravin.
New experiences on the plate
Complementing the set menu, and in addition to the chef’s signature dishes like the Monte-Carlo egg with cassava truffle and Creole passionfruit, is a new series of dishes for an even richer experience. They include a chicken madras with Caribbean dumplings and prawns; lobster dumpling with coconut curry and trout roe; and lamb colombo with citrus and polenta.
The cuisine continues Chef Ravin’s unique fusion of the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, two lands that he clearly has a lot of love and respect for. The menu changes every four weeks in accordance with the garden.
New ‘Food and Wine’ combinations have also been created by the chef and his sommelier, as well as a ‘Food and Aromas’ pairing that is alcohol-free and plays on fermentation and infusions with herbs, plants and fruit.
The result is a culinary journey that begins with subtle, earthy flavours, and quickly explodes into the exciting, punchy tones of the Caribbean.
“This menu is built on my memories, it is a souvenir of my childhood,” says Chef Ravin, who grew up on the island of Martinique. “It was my grandmother who was in the kitchen, this is the cuisine of my family, it is the history of my life.”
La Table de Marcel Ravin
A monumental table carved from solid oak and following the spirit of the five elements allows an intimate group of eight guests to be carried away during a personalised dinner with Chef Ravin and his team. The experience features 20 meticulously curated courses, orchestrated by the Chef, for an “unforgettable dining experience suspended in time”.
“The new Blue Bay Marcel Ravin is an ode to life, nature and the richness of the Caribbean,” concludes Chef Marcel Ravin.
Menus start at €175. For reservations, call +377 98 06 03 60, or click here
See more of our experience in the Instagram reel below…
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Main photo of Chef Marcel Ravin source Monte-Carlo SBM