Le Cinq
| Company type | Restaurant |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality, Fine dining |
| Founded | December 1999 |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Key people | Philippe Legendre (head chef until 2008), Éric Briffard (2008–2014), Christian Le Squer (since 2014) |
| Products | French cuisine |
| Owner | Four Seasons Hotel George V (owned by Saudi Prince Al Waleed bin Talal) |
| Website | www |
Le Cinq () is a dining establishment situated in Paris, France, within the premises of the Four Seasons Hotel George V. Following an extensive renovation of the hotel, it resumed operations in December 1999. The restaurant has been led by several notable head chefs, including Philippe Legendre (up to 2008), Éric Briffard (2008–2014), and Christian Le Squer (since 2014). It was awarded its initial Michelin star in 2000, secured a second star in 2001, and held three stars consecutively from 2003 to 2007, regaining the top rating again starting in 2016. The establishment has garnered favorable critiques from sources such as The Arbuturian, Libération, and The Daily Telegraph. By April 2017, it was positioned as the 80th finest restaurant globally. That same month, Jay Rayner of The Observer published a widely circulated unfavorable review, later recognized by Eater as one of "The Best Bad Restaurant Reviews of 2017".
History
Le Cinq is among three culinary venues housed within Hotel George V, alongside Le George and L'Orangerie. Since its inauguration in 1928, the hotel has attracted numerous celebrities over many years. Ownership transitioned through entities such as the Forte Group and Granada plc before being purchased in 1996 for $170 million by Saudi Prince Al Waleed bin Talal, who maintained a personal connection to the property. The reopening of both hotel and restaurant occurred in December 1999 after postponements caused by restrictive working hour regulations imposed by nearby residents.
Appointed as head chef was Philippe Legendre, previously affiliated with the three-Michelin-starred Taillevent. Under his direction, Le Cinq achieved its first Michelin star in 2000, followed by a second in 2001, and sustained three stars from 2003 until 2007. Éric Briffard replaced Legendre in 2008 and authored a cookbook titled Le Cinq published in 2014. Christian Le Squer assumed the head chef role in October 2014; during his tenure, the restaurant reclaimed its third Michelin star in 2016. Reviews throughout this era emphasized its opulent atmosphere complemented occasionally by jazz performances.
By April 2017, Le Cinq ranked as the world’s 80th top dining destination, with Le Squer honored as Chef of the Year by his professional peers. Nevertheless, on April 9, Jay Rayner released a scathing critique describing his €600 meal as "the worst" experience of his career, condemning both the interior design and service quality. The review rapidly gained viral status, amassing roughly 3,000 comments within days and causing Rayner’s website to crash due to overwhelming traffic. By mid-May, it had attracted over two million views and bolstered Rayner’s reputation as "the world's most feared food critic." While internationally lauded by media outlets like Vox and Vice, the assessment drew criticism from French reviewers including Elvire von Bardeleben and outlets such as Le Figaro. Rayner’s commentary remains one of the most prominent British restaurant critiques in recent years.