Monaco’s culinary stars: The world’s most Michelin-starred Resort united in excellence

Taste as a starting point

At the heart of every starred kitchen in the Resort lies a shared obsession: the pursuit of perfect flavour. A taste rooted in family history, enriched by transmission, and refined through excellence. For Alain Ducasse, “taste is where it all begins.” That quest has shaped the many brigades he has trained - including Dominique Lory, now Executive Chef at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, who believes that “to cook is to offer wonderful memories.”
This intimate connection between flavour and feeling also defines Marcel Ravin’s cooking, which is steeped in family memory: “I developed a memory for taste with my grandmother.” Emmanuel Pilon brings a playful, curious and evolving approach, turning each plate into “a playground” - an invitation to surprise. Yannick Alléno, evoking taste as a “Proustian madeleine”, sees it as an inner journey.

Monaco as a stage for inspiration

Each chef shares a deep, personal bond with the Principality - a relationship filled with emotion and creative energy. For Yannick Alléno, based at Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, “Monaco is a destination with a true culinary scene - a vibrant, multifaceted city where excellence is a must.” Inspiration infuses all of his creations.
Alain Ducasse is especially drawn to Monaco’s radiant spirit and the “light of the Mediterranean”, describing it as “a unique place, at the crossroads of the French and Italian Rivieras.”

Marcel Ravin, who joined the Resort to reinvent the Blue Bay Marcel Ravin** kitchen, doesn’t hold back: “This place gave me everything. Working here has been an awakening.”
It is “the proximity to producers” and the abundance of Mediterranean ingredients that fuel his creativity. As Dominique Lory puts it, Monegasque cuisine is “a generous, sun-drenched cuisine, full of summer spirit.” Between light and generosity, Monaco shines as a land of stars.

Passing it on

All five chefs share one belief: the craft is built over time – and always through others. For Yannick Alléno, “life’s moments are stories of encounters” - and kitchen brigades are central to the journey. Executive Chef Dominique Lory embraces this responsibility with one aim: to delight guests. “Every day, I pass that vision on to my team by being there with them.”

For Emmanuel Pilon, open-mindedness and curiosity are key: “A chef’s role is to stay alert and aware of what’s going on around him”. Staying true to his philosophy of generous cooking, Marcel Ravin says simply: “I’ve always cooked for others before cooking for myself”. As for Alain Ducasse, the godfather figure, “transmission is a long-term investment” - one he shares gratefully with his teams, who embody his vision of cuisine and hospitality.