ADMO at Les Ombres in Paris: “Ducasse and Adrià serve some of the most extraordinary food I’ve had in a long while”

What happens when two giants join forces? That’s what the gastronomic world wonders every time the word ADMO comes up.

Alain Ducasse is the most important chef of the post-nouvelle cuisine – together with the late Robuchon – and Albert Adrià was one of the creative engines of elBulli, arguably the most influential restaurant of the century, pioneering game-changing techniques including spherification.

How can the egos, visions and methods of these brilliant yet eccentric minds coexist? There’s no obvious answer, but the Spanish chef shed some light at Gastronomika, a leading culinary convention in San Sebastian: “I wanted to learn Alain Ducasse’s and his chef Romain Meder’s  philosophy, and respect it. It’s their project, I’m a guest.”

It all started three years ago with Ducasse visiting the restaurants of Adrià on a trip to Spain: “I asked him: ‘Why don’t you come to Paris?’ Then this year in June, when Albert had to close his restaurants for the pandemic, I called him and said: ‘Why don’t we do something together now?’”

On a sunny day in Paris we walk towards Les Ombres, across the Seine. It’s a luxury rooftop restaurant above the Musée du Quai Branly, with breathtaking views of the Eifell Tower as well as the river. The dining room is under a glass and cast iron structure, and for the next 100 days it will be the temporary home of this Ducasse-Adrià project, with the support of Romain Meder and pastry chef Jessica Prealpato.

There’s a vibe of exclusivity and the price tag means that most of the clients have deep pockets, with the exception of those committed foodies who are prepared to save enough money to fully enjoy the experience. Lunch is more accessible, with the option for a shorter menu (£240/€280); dinner comes only for the full flight (£325/€380). While these numbers may raise some eyebrows, in the French capital they are in line with meals from chefs of this calibre.

The first dish to arrive on the table is Almond, Celeriac and Caviar. It doesn’t go unnoticed: its shape reminds of the inside of a long-nose Venetian mask (or the reverse side of a track cycle seat, if you want to be less poetic). I can’t tell if it’s a primitive or futuristic object. The ingredients are in liquid form, and they mix as diners drink from the beak. “This is Albert’s,” I wonder. And playing this game is part of dining at ADMO. Meder – the chef in charge of the project – reveals, however, that “diners often tell us their guesses but they don’t get it right”.

Snacks come in pairs. A beautiful Brillat-Savarin, Meringue and White Alba Truffle easily steals the show. Next to it, a Chestnut, Anchovy and Curry cracker pushes the savoury charge of the lunch.

We are on the longer menu and there are more little things to come. The oyster sausage, placed on soft bread with wakame, is one of the best things you’ll eat here. It’s a single bite, and you’d wish there was a whole tray of it coming. A gelatine of red mullet with citrus delivers the acidity necessary to keep a good balance.

The whole concept aims to unite two culinary visions – and cultures. This also encompasses the wine pairing, a back-and-forth journey between the two sides of the Pyrenees. Dom Pérignon Rosé 2008 is making its debut here at ADMO, and it kicks off the meal. It’s no secret that the prestigious champagne house is a partner in the project, and the vintage 2008 is brilliant.

The naturalistic approach – dubbed as “naturalité” – of Meder/Ducasse becomes more preeminent with the next round of courses: a Razor Clam, Herb and Verbena paired with Vetch, Lemon and Coriander. Herbaceous, cereal elements all of a sudden are the protagonists of the show, the saltiness now coming from the seafood.

The bread course – served from a designer trolley – is gluten-free, and guests can spread the exquisite Breton butter using a custom-made knife that bears the Nutella mark. It was originally designed for the famous Italian chocolate spread but Ducasse thought it would be perfect for butter and managed to secure the whole batch.

Bacalao Skin Noodles, Sea Urchin and Broth is a dish that plays with textures and explores mineral, briny notes. It’s followed by another texture-led course: Sea Cucumber, Chickpea and Caviar. The rare seafood has the neutral taste of a snail but a thicker, more gelatinous consistency. It’s warm and the caviar makes for a unique combination.

The final round of savoury courses is by far the highlight of the meal. First, a magnificent blue lobster with beetroot and Chinotto, then a cauliflower covered with mole next to monkfish liver. The latter is simply a flavour bomb, some of the most extraordinary food I’ve had in a long while.

Pastry chef Prealpato – who extended the concept of naturalité to desserts, “desseralité” – has come up with a palate cleanser of Persimmon, Rosehip and Pomegranate that actually makes me feel lighter as I eat it. Tangerine, Black Sesame and Olive Oil completes a meal that shows all the different personalities involved and yet manages to come together as a coherent experience.

For more than one reason, ADMO is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The location, the unique food and the calibre of the chefs involved all add to the feeling that this something to be tried. However, do not expect fireworks, which is what normally happens whenever Adrià’s name is on the bill. This is not the direction of the ADMO project; instead, the chefs take a fully collaborative approach that lays the foundation for a continuous, organic development for the weeks to come.

Filippo L’Astorina, the Editor
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

ADMO is at Les Ombres – Musée du Quai Branly for 100 days. To book a table, call +33 1 47 53 68 00 or visit www.admo.lesombres-restaurant.com.