Le Louis XV (restaurant)
| Company type | Restaurant |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fine dining |
| Founded | May 1987 |
| Founder | Alain Ducasse |
| Headquarters | Monte Carlo , Monaco |
Key people | Alain Ducasse (chef) |
| Products | French haute cuisine |
Le Louis XV - Alain Ducasse à l'Hôtel de Paris is a distinguished French dining establishment located in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Under the leadership of chef Alain Ducasse, it proudly holds three Michelin stars and is esteemed as one of the premier restaurants worldwide.
Description
As Alain Ducasse's signature restaurant, Le Louis XV is housed within the prestigious Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo in Monte Carlo. The restaurant opened its doors in May 1987 after a challenge from Prince Rainier III and the Société des bains de mer de Monaco to secure three Michelin stars within four years. Ducasse surpassed expectations by achieving this accolade in just 33 months, marking it as the first hotel-based venue to earn such a distinction.
The establishment features an extensive wine cellar containing approximately 400,000 bottles. Service staff utilize multiple food trolleys to present champagne, cheese, and freshly picked herbs, which are used to prepare herbal infusions directly at the table.
Le Louis XV has been instrumental in the development of several chefs who later became leaders of Michelin-starred restaurants, including Helene Darroze, Alexis Gauthier, Massimo Bottura, Clare Smyth, and Thierry Laborde.
Reception
The restaurant first attained its trio of Michelin stars in 1990 and retained them for seven years before dropping one star in 1997. It promptly regained the third star in 1998, lost it again in 2001, and then reclaimed it in 2003, maintaining three stars continuously since that time.
Critic Paolo Tullio hailed Le Louis XV as one of the foremost French dining establishments. In 2003, The Guardian placed it among the top five restaurants globally, highlighting its sophisticated atmosphere and exquisite cuisine. Fodor's travel guide praised Ducasse’s culinary creations as "superb" and described the restaurant’s decor as "magnificent." Additionally, The Daily Meal included it in its list of the world’s 101 best restaurants in 2012.
Le Louis XV has consistently appeared in The World's 50 Best Restaurants rankings by Restaurant (magazine). It achieved third place worldwide in 2003 behind French Laundry and El Bulli, slipped to eighth position during 2006–2007, ranked fifteenth in 2008, and experienced a notable drop to 43rd place by 2009.
Since 1995, the restaurant has been honored with the esteemed Wine Spectator Grand Award, reflecting its dedication to an outstanding wine program and service excellence.