at Château Petit Faurie de Soutard in Saint-Emilion
After its opening in July 2021. Restaurant Le Jardin in Saint-Emilion follows its philosophy of inventiveness in the kitchen, punctuated by the seasons. No fixed menu here, only the products that are particularly appreciated remain on the menu, accompanied every day by new combinations of flavors.
VertdeVin: What is the concept of your restaurant?
Stephane Casset: We try to work only with fresh and seasonal products. Our menu changes all year round, even every day, at each service, we have a new combination of products, depending on the market. I like to go to the market in the morning, go through the products and imagine new combinations depending on what I find. It is a philosophical representation of our cuisine.
VdV: Do you have any signature dishes?
S.C.: No, every day, we take risks, we don’t keep a dish that worked, that could be a signature dish. Instead, we try to keep a general approach of product associations, transformations that lead to something we like, we try to do something good. We select the products that we like to work with, that we appreciate the flavors and the variety of associations that we can imagine.
VdV: Do you follow this philosophy in your wine list?
S.C.: Our wine list is also subject to seasonality. Thanks to our wine merchant activity in Soutard, we have a large selection of wines. Of course, we highlight the wines of the estate and our region for foreign tourists who want to discover them. For local customers, we have wines from the Loire, Burgundy, and Côtes du Rhône. The idea is to allow people to make their choice and for our sommelier to make them discover something. And it is also to be able to find wines that will go well with the associations of products that often change in our restaurant – fresh and light wines from the Loire Valley that can be paired with fish, cheese or even a dessert, Bordeaux – with beef, even with certain fish served with local seasoning.
VdV: Do you have any wine pairings with your favorite products?
S.C.: Of course, Bordeaux with beef. For example among the wines of the estate – the Château Soutard 2016 or Château Larmande 2010, which are still full of freshness. But I also like Pinot Noirs from Burgundy, with meats, served with vegetables like squash, pumpkin, butternut.
VdV: Do you do food and wine pairings?
S.C.: If the customers ask for it. It’s not just about offering a wine that goes with a dish. The person, client’s expectations, their tastes and their origins are also important. Not everyone has the same preferences, and the wine must also suit the customer, not just the dish. For a group of 6-8 people, we can offer to share a bottle for each dish, and for two people, we have a selection of wines by the glass, which changes every two weeks. We rotate the appellations and grape varieties, but we always try to offer a wine from the estate. Just like for the restaurant menu, we want to change. Even for the wines from the estate, we don’t need to add a specific menu. Château Soutard can be drunk with a starter, a main course, with meat, with certain fish, even with certain cheeses. I like to try combinations and introduce them to our customers.