Bénédicte Van der Motte takes over the kitchen of the 5-star design hotel in Saint-Germain-des-Prés with a goal: to introduce more plant-based options and diversify the menu.
There’s movement in the kitchen of the Bel-Ami hotel! For the past two months, a new chef, Bénédicte Van der Motte, 44, has been at the helm of the stoves at this iconic 5-star establishment on the Rive Gauche. “I had just left Ferrandi school where I was a trainer,” explains this native of Bordeaux. “I wanted to rediscover the energy of a restaurant, and I fell in love with the Bel-Ami and the neighbourhood.”
An epicurean in constant pursuit of sensory pleasure in her dishes, Bénédicte Van der Motte has proven herself at Yannick Alléno’s and Éric Frechon’s kitchens before becoming the executive chef at Renaissance hotels in République, Trocadéro, and Arc de Triomphe. From now on, she will express her culinary identity in this “village”: a market-driven, seasonal cuisine, blending local tradition with modernity.
“I started with the brunch, a Bel-Ami Sunday institution, by incorporating more vegetables and plant-based options,” details the chef. “Above all, I want each brunch to be different every time, offering variety, and changing homemade dishes. My priority is innovation, generosity, and deliciousness!” Gradually, the bar menu will also evolve. While Bénédicte Van der Motte aims to preserve the “classics” highly favoured by regulars, she plans to introduce daily specials and, similarly, offer a vegetarian and indulgent cuisine. “This responds to an increasingly strong demand, and it’s so disheartening to go to a restaurant with a group and have one guest feel excluded from the meal because she/he is vegan or vegetarian,” she concludes. Now, at Bel-Ami, absolutely everyone can relish their dining experience!
7, rue Saint-Benoît – 75006 Paris
+33 1 42 61 53 53 – www.hotelbelami-paris.com