“I often use a motor scooter to get around Paris. From the 1st arrondissement (district) to the 17th or the 15th, I don’t hesitate to cross town for a savory cheese or a good eating spot. My favorite addresses? I’m a fan of Pierre Hermé’s macaroons. Olive oil and vanilla, or a touch of wasabi – I love the slightly crazy way the famous Paris pastry chef combines his flavors. And in summer, his astonishing ice creams are really worth a detour.

If you’re looking for an Appenzeller worthy of its name, then head for Laurent Dubois on Rue Lourmel. Voted best artisan in France, this connoisseur offers an impressive variety of cheeses. He’s a veritable fountain of knowledge and runs his shop like a good wine merchant – he loves finding products that are not available anywhere else, and as a customer you can always count on Dubois’s enthusiastic advice.

In restaurants, atmosphere and service are just as important to me as the quality of the food. Among my favorites is Rimal, a Lebanese restaurant on Boulevard Malesherbes. The reception is fantastic. I generally let myself be carried away by the chef’s suggestions, and I can’t stop eating his ‘mezzes’. The desserts deserve a special mention. I’m not really a fan of sugar, but I have to admit that the ‘flan à fleur d’oranger’ and the ‘petits gateaux à la pistache’ are unforgettable.

‘Aux crus de Bourgogne’ is also one of my preferred spots. In the heart of the Montorgueil quarter, this brasserie, once frequented by Malraux, serves up simple and copious meals according to the season. In the same spirit, from time to time I dine with my clients at Flottes. Aligot (mashed potato and cheese), marrowbone, and leg of lamb – this place is a Paris institution that cultivates excellence and tradition.

For its panorama, I recommend the terrace at Deli-cieux in the Printemps department store. On the ninth floor of this well-known shopping mecca on Boulevard Haussmann you can have a drink or a snack while enjoying a 360° view of the city skyline – a real luxury in Paris.”

Addresses

Pierre Hermé – 4, rue Cambon, 75001 Paris. www.pierreherme.com

Fromagerie Laurent Dubois – 2, rue Lourmel, 75015 Paris

Rimal – 94, Boulevard Malesherbes, 75017 Paris. www.rimal.fr

Aux crus de Bourgogne – 3, rue Bachaumont, 75002 Paris

Chez Flottes – 2, rue Cambon, 75002 Paris, www.flottes.fr

Le Déli-cieux, (Printemps de la maison) – 66, Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris

From Tokyo to New York to Paris, Alain Ducasse’s cooking amazes those who appreciate exceptional products and subtle combinations. Ducasse, a French native but Monégasque by adoption, developed his palate early on. Born in 1956 into a modest family of farmers in Gascony in the Landes region of France, he loved the local products and specialties, such as foie gras and the porcini mushrooms that his grandmother taught him to cook. This precocious passion led to a lifetime career in the kitchen.

A talented cook’s assistant, he quickly climbed the ranks and in 1981 became chef of La Terrasse, a restaurant at Juan-les-Pins, France. Following a serious Learjet accident that kept him bedridden for nearly two years, Ducasse took up his career again with gusto. He was named Chef des Cuisines of the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo in 1987 and obtained three stars in the Michelin Red Guide in 1990.

In the following years, he created restaurants  — Spoon, Mix, and Beige – and published several books, the latest of which, entitled “Nature”, promotes the principles of simple, healthy and tasty cooking. His career has earned him recognition as the most eminent chef of his generation. An enthusiast of haute horlogerie, he owns several exclusive watches, including an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. “I am captivated by the innovation of the artists who designed this watch. In shape and materials, it expresses the studied boldness of a man’s timepiece,” the top chef confided to GQ Magazine last November.

Alain Ducasse: www.alain-ducasse.com

The Spoon Restaurant chain : www.spoon.tm.fr