HBI Staff | Hyderabad 
Barely a year since The Woodward opened its doors, L’Atelier Robuchon, led by Executive Chef Olivier Jean, has been awarded one Michelin star by the prestigious 2022 Michelin Guide.
Opened in September 2021, The Woodward is the newest opening in the Oetker Collection Masterpiece Hotels portfolio and the first all-suite hotel in Geneva. Sitting directly on the shores of Lake Geneva, and offering awe-inspiring views of majestic Mont Blanc, the post-Haussmann-style hotel dating back to 1901 is located on Quai Wilson, and was meticulously transformed by world-renowned architect, Pierre-Yves Rochon. The hotel offers two world-class dining experiences, L’Atelier Robuchon and Le Jardinier, both recipients of Michelin stars at their New York outposts, and lead in Geneva by Chef Olivier Jean.
L’Atelier Robuchon is the first of its kind in Switzerland and showcases the restaurant’s legendary open kitchen concept, creating a theatrical dining experience in a dimly lit, intimate atmosphere for just 36 guests seated around the counter. Additional high tables and two private dining rooms allow for a further 34 guests. Since its opening, the restaurant has established itself as an elegant and unmissable culinary address in Geneva. The gastronomic performance includes a spontaneous and immersive opportunity for guests to interact with the chefs, almost resembling a culinary ballet choreography that allows participants to embark on a journey through the senses. Since its opening, the elegant restaurant continues to innovate, offering a selection of Joël Robuchon’s signature dishes alongside innovative interpretations from Chef Oliver Jean, using local organic produce such as vegetables from the Gaia vegetable garden in Hermance. The result is a combination of excellence, originality, French know-how and distinct Asian influences – a concept inherited and re-imagined by the famous Chef Joël Robuchon.
Having spent six years at the head of Joël Robuchon’s Atelier in Taipei, and after leading the openings in Miami, New York, and Montreal, it was in Geneva in the kitchens of The Woodward that the French chef from Valence has written the new chapter of his great career. “To seduce our guests in Geneva, I proposed a menu highlighting local products worked in a surprising way, using innovative combinations and textures. I would like this restaurant to become a must for any epicurean,” shares Chef Olivier Jean.
Olivier Jean brings Joël Robuchon’s French-Asian fusion concept to life at L’Atelier Robuchon, striving to astonish guests with unusual flavour combinations to satisfy the senses through remarkable dishes and pioneering techniques. Signature dishes include imperial Sologne caviar and crab glazed with a lobster jus, and organic beef from Swiss mountains pastures topped with foie gras – a famed and decadent French meal named after the famous composer, Rossini. Delectable desserts include vintage port paired with ‘the Black Forest’, similar to a mushroom in texture, and flavoured with sour Morello cherries, a light kirsch mousse, and creamy chocolate.
Olivier Jean’s skilled team comprises talented Pastry Chef, Titouan Claudet and Head Sommelier & Dining Room Manager, Martin Cappelaere, who lead the show-stopping venue with flair to create a memorable dining experience for guests. Hailing from Besançon, Claudet is a remarkable young talent who finds his inspiration in contemporary art and whose expertise and imaginative, original creations extend across the kitchens of both L’Atelier Robuchon and Le Jardinier, while delighting hotel guests every morning with his delectable pastries.
