The All In One Ultimate Restaurant List Interview: Olivier Limousin

Olivier Limousin is Executive Chef at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, up two places to number 18 on our list this year.

On how he met Robuchon: “I was working for Philippe Groult for six years and he was a famous chef with a fierce reputation for being very tough and rigorous. Philippe received two Michelin stars in his 30s. It was very significant in the 80s for a chef this young to receive such critical acclaim, like Marco Pierre White. Furthermore, his is a close friend and ex-colleague of Mr Robuchon from when they worked at Le Jamin, and Michelin-starred chefs in Paris have a connection that’s like brotherhood.”

L’Atelier has two Michelin stars, but what is the greatest accolade Limousin could hope for? “I just hope that every single customer will be happy when they leave the restaurant. I try to offer them pleasure with the food along with the special ambiance we create at L’Atelier. Think of us as a little bubble that cocoons you from the hustle and bustle of your hectic life, to offer you a special place and time to indulge yourself.”

He believes team work is vital to a good kitchen. “If you want to be a good chef you have to be a good leader, because without the team a chef is nothing. The success of a restaurant is always because of the team spirit - try to be happy every morning when you come to work. Mr Robuchon taught me to always look after the customers, not just the food but also the ambiance, and live the word ‘hospitality’.”

For his last meal, Limousin would choose “a plate of oysters from Vendée, where I come from, nice sea salted butter and bread, and of course a good white wine Muscadet.”