Foodle

La Table du Castellet has undergone one of the more remarkable chef transitions in recent French gastronomy. The restaurant at the Hôtel & Spa du Castellet was previously led by Christophe Bacquié, MOF and one of France’s leading Mediterranean chefs, who earned the restaurant its third Michelin star in 2018. After fourteen years at the property, Bacquié left in 2022 to establish his own restaurant, Mas Les Eydins, in the Luberon.

His successor was not an outsider. Fabien Ferré had spent ten years working alongside Bacquié, eventually becoming his deputy. Ferré, originally from Burgundy and from a family of pastry chefs and farmers, had also spent three years at Troisgros before arriving in Provence. When Bacquié departed, Ferré took over the kitchens and in 2023 reopened the gastronomic restaurant under its new name, La Table du Castellet.

What happened next was extraordinary. In the 2024 Michelin Guide, Ferré received three stars immediately, without progressing through one and two stars under his own name. At 35, he became the youngest French chef holding three stars at that time. Michelin described the reopening as dazzling and particularly praised his focus on Provence’s marine and botanical produce and his concentrated sauces, jus and emulsions. The restaurant continues to hold three Michelin stars in 2026.

Our dinner demonstrated Ferré’s philosophy particularly well because Tomoko and I chose the two contrasting menus: she had the Expression Végétale, while I chose the Expression Marine.

Tomoko’s progression began with tomato, sur-confit with stracciatella and fig leaf, followed by Provençal courgettes with vuletta and sage. Broccoletti came with murex, vegetable jus and juniper; the heart of sucrine lettuce with onion jus and bay leaf; and potato with XO sauce and seaweed. Despite its name, Expression Végétale is therefore not a strictly vegetarian menu. Rather, vegetables occupy centre stage, while carefully judged marine or animal elements provide seasoning, salinity and depth.

My Expression Marine approached Provence from the Mediterranean. Mackerel came with almond velouté and shiso, followed by Provençal squid with basil and marjoram. Crustaceans were combined with confit aromatics and basil, then Saint-Pierre (John Dory) with oxidative notes and girolles. The final fish course, Retour de Pêche, brought together basil, absinthe and fennel. The squid is particularly representative of Ferré’s cooking and is identified by Michelin as one of his signatures.

What links the two menus is the remarkable intensity achieved without making the dishes feel heavy. Presentations can appear almost minimalist, yet underneath are highly concentrated sauces and exceptionally precise seasoning. There is a distinctly Mediterranean freshness and clarity to Ferré’s cooking.

Both experiences ultimately converge with the restaurant’s impressive cheese-cellar experience, followed by desserts such as rhubarb with Fontainebleau and vanilla, strawberries with burrata ice cream and agastache, or apricot with rice and saffron.

Most interestingly, La Table du Castellet does not feel like a restaurant simply preserving Bacquié’s legacy. Ferré clearly inherited his mentor’s discipline, technique and respect for exceptional produce, but has developed a more personal language based around two complementary expressions of Provence: vegetable and marine. Experiencing both menus side by side made this particularly apparent: Tomoko’s dinner looked toward the gardens and farms of Provence, while mine looked toward the Mediterranean.

Together, they provided a remarkably coherent portrait of the region — and made it much easier to understand how Ferré managed the extraordinary achievement of taking his own restaurant directly to three Michelin stars. Less

Restaurant Elephant in Brixen is one of those places where the setting immediately establishes a sense of history. Part of the historic Hotel Elephant, the restaurant combines old-world South Tyrolean elegance with cooking that feels much more contemporary. Our dinner moved through a series of carefully presented courses, beginning with small bites and excellent charcuterie before progressing to tartare, pasta and a more substantial main course, followed by dessert. What stood out was the combination of regional character and refinement: recognisable Alpine ingredients and flavours presented with considerably more precision than traditional hotel cooking might suggest. The dining room, with its wood panelling and classical atmosphere, provides an appealing contrast to the modern presentation on the plate. Service felt appropriate to the surroundings—polished but not excessively formal. In a town with deep Tyrolean traditions, Elephant succeeds in respecting that heritage while offering a sophisticated, contemporary dining experience. Less