Updated on September 09, 2025
Alain Ducasse has appointed Giovanni Pitton to orchestrate service at his iconic 3-star restaurant. After starting his career on the Riviera and spending five years in Southeast Asia, the 31-year-old Franco-Italian returned to Monaco in July 2025 and intends to draw on all his experience to provide attentive service that showcases the creativity and expertise of Chef Emmanuel Pilon.
Returning to Monaco, aren't you returning to your first love?
Giovanni Pitton: I actually started my career at the age of 20 at the Negresco in Nice, at the Chantecler, working with Olivier Novelli, Meilleur Ouvrier de France in the art of service. That's how my passion was born. I worked in various gourmet restaurants and, eight years ago, I arrived at the Louis XV – Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris and continued to learn the trade alongside Michel Lang and Claire Sonnet, whom I have just succeeded.
Before taking up this position as maître d', you spent five years in South-East Asia. Did you need to leave in order to come back better?
Giovanni Pitton: I've always loved travelling. Interacting with customers from all over the world is, in a way, like travelling. When the opportunity arose to be restaurant manager in Singapore for the reopening of the legendary Raffles Hotel, which had just been completely renovated, I didn't hesitate to pack my bags. Alain Ducasse had a very large restaurant there. You can't turn down an opportunity like that!
Two years later, your journey continued in Thailand.
Giovanni Pitton: Yes... It was the fifth anniversary of Blue* Alain Ducasse, and the chef suggested I continue the adventure in Bangkok. The Alain Ducasse Group offered me a position as general manager. That's how I ended up staying in Thailand for three years.
Did you feel homesick?
Giovanni Pitton: Not at all! My return to Louis XV was not planned. Mr Ducasse contacted me one Friday and offered me the position of maître d' in Monaco. He ended the phone call by saying, ‘Don't forget that the train only comes once...’ That phone call changed the course of my life. On Monday, I agreed to leave.
What have you gained professionally from your five years in Asia?
Giovanni Pitton: Because I left, I fully appreciate how lucky we are to be here and how magical and unique the Louis XV – Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris is. That's what I remind the teams every day.
In Asia, I learned to respond to diverse situations and radically different cultures, particularly in Singapore, which has a very international clientele. I think I've acquired a certain ability to quickly understand customers and meet their expectations. So I hope I can bring adaptability to the table.
What does adapting mean in practical terms?
Giovanni Pitton: Expectations are not the same for a table of businessmen and women as they are for a family. Some tables require discreet service, while others want much more attention or hope for guidance in understanding the chef's cuisine. It's really a case-by-case basis with a single goal: that all customers leave with a smile and always remember their dinner.
How is Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris viewed in Asia?
Giovanni Pitton: People don't realise how much attention is paid to what happens at Le Louis XV! In Asia, I've often talked about the restaurant with customers, chefs, restaurateurs, restaurant managers... Everyone knows what's going on here.
Are you saying that Alain Ducasse's three-star restaurant in Monaco is a benchmark around the world?
Giovanni Pitton: Of course! It's a monument to gastronomy. But it's a monument that's evolving to the point of being ahead of its time, because Mr Ducasse has always had a talent for being a pioneer. He's constantly reinventing Le Louis XV.
From your experience, how do you analyse the evolution of service?
Giovanni Pitton: In recent years, customers have been looking for much more interaction. Previously, front-of-house staff focused on service, such as carving meat or fish. Today, in addition to these fundamentals, you have to be attentive. Mealtimes are a break that should reconnect customers with the essence of our humanity.
How do you work with your colleagues in the kitchen?
Giovanni Pitton: Relations between front of house and kitchen have also changed significantly. It is essential to maintain constant communication and build mutual trust. Chefs give so much of themselves, make so many sacrifices and share so many emotions in the creation of their cuisine that they need to be understood. You have to appreciate their efforts and understand their approach. In the dining room, our job is to fully respect their work and translate into words what the chefs express through taste. Personally, I love Chef Emmanuel Pilon's culinary identity. So it's easy for me to talk about it with enthusiasm.
Will you continue to travel the world from one job to another?
Giovanni Pitton: Who knows? I've stopped planning my future because I think you have to focus on the present to give your best. To be honest, I'm so happy and honoured to be at Louis XV that I really want to enjoy every moment, day after day, service after service.
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