A tribute to two Paris icons
A guest letter from Parisian writer and food lover André Michel
André Michel is an ideal dining companion. He’s curious, affable, and always has a story to tell, usually involving food. We shared a wonderful lunch at Chez Georges this fall with friends that I’m still thinking about because it had been years and I quickly remembered what made it so special. It feels like the purest expression of what the bistro was always meant to be, down to the communal cornichons plucked from a jug, the pressed linens, the regulars and the career waiters. Since I’m traveling for a couple of weeks, I asked André to contribute a little note on Chez Georges. He wanted to go a step further and gush about another icon, too.
As a food critic splitting my time between Paris and Los Angeles, I often think about what truly defines the soul of a restaurant. And no better than two unsung heroes who define the soul of Paris for me: Chef Bernard Pacaud (L’Ambroisie) and restaurateur Jean-Gabriel de Bueil (Chez Georges rue du Mail). Both definitely go against the grain when it comes to trends.
These two men have guarded the past with such vigor and discretion that I felt it was time to give them some well-deserved light. They share a singular, religious-like dedication, having each faithfully tended to just one establishment for decades. But they unfortunately share something else, too: both were orphaned early in life. I suspect their absolute devotion to hospitality stems from this early loss, perhaps leading them to give extra love to their establishments.
Bernard was abandoned by his parents and adopted by the legendary Mère Brazier (the 6-Michelin-star queen of Lyon until the late 1960s). Jean-Gabriel comes from an old aristocratic family, yet he entered the service industry as others would enter the priesthood.
Their menus are entirely à la carte, seasonal, and client-centric. Today, refusing to have tasting menus is something of an anomaly.
One reigns in the gastronomic pantheon; the other guards the warmest traditions of the French bistro. One is refined and precise; the other is generous, famous for gargantuan portions. Both have shown up every single day.
I was fortunate to attend Bernard Pacaud’s final service on August 2nd, 2025. There were no grand speeches, just a quiet greeting to the dining room. He stood alongside his wife and partner, Danièle, and his daughter, the pastry chef. I believe I spotted a single tear on his cheek—understandable, since he had been cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens for 63 years (!).
Though Pacaud has retired, the institution remains. You can still visit L’Ambroisie, where Shintaro Awa, a 39-year-old chef who trained at Epicure, has picked up the old book of Pacaud’s recipes.
Jean-Gabriel is still at Chez Georges, every lunch and dinner, Monday to Friday.
Let this be a reminder to celebrate our institutions and the people who give them a soul, while we still can.
Amicalement,
André Michel
THE DETAILS
Restaurant : L’Ambroisie
Opening date : 1981
Location : Place des Vosges since 1986
Awards : Oldest 3-star Michelin restaurant in Paris since 1988 (the gold standard of the category)
Amuse-bouche : Cheese gougères
Iconic dishes : Langoustine feuillantine with sesame seeds and curry sauce; sea bass escalope with minced artichoke and caviar sauce; chocolate tart with bitter cocoa and bourbon vanilla ice cream.
The crowd: Official state visits (Clinton and Chirac in 1997, Obama and Hollande in 2015), Michelin hunters, old-school Parisian regulars.
Decor : Designed by the interior designer François Joseph Graf with 17th-century parquet, old mirrors, chandeliers, and a monumental Gobelins-style tapestry
Name: Bernard Pacaud
Job : Chef
Age : 78, retired August 2, 2025. He started working in a kitchen when he was 14.
Key detail: He arranges flowers for every table before service
Known hobby : Pétanque (bocce ball) in Vincennes Garden after lunch and in Corsica during the summer
Thoughts: Big on “respectful cooking” (Cuisine de Civilités). Seek out beautiful product. Cook without affectation. Offer the best, simply.
Restaurant : Chez Georges
Location : Rue du Mail, off the Place des Victoires
Opening date : 1964, taken over by Jean-Gabriel in 2010
Awards : Not in the Michelin Guide, Best Hospitality award in Pudlo Bistrot guide
Amuse-bouche : Radishes butter saucisson
Iconic dishes : Frisée salad with bacon; the Pavé du Mail (steak with a cognac, mustard, and cream sauce); Tarte Tatin served with crème crue
The crowd: Artists, film people, writers, designers, fashion insiders, neighbors, and tourists in-the-know.
Decor : Untouched since 1964, except for the new instant-classic chairs by designers Pierre Augustin Rose (regulars who come weekly)
Name: Jean-Gabriel de Bueil
Job : Restaurateur
Age : 51
Key detail : No Resy, no Zenchef — every reservation is handwritten in his old-school reservation book, taken only by landline.
Known hobby : Winemaker with Mathieu Dumas (of the Hermès family)— Domaine Les Deux Chênes (Chenas)
Thoughts: “Beyond three flavors, I lose interest. Long view, fundamentals, simple things. Let’s work seriously without taking ourselves too seriously.”
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Damn this makes me want to book both immediately. Something very beautiful and simple about these places.
Chez Georges is practically perfect in every way.