01 Mar 2017
Tags: World-Famous, Alain Ducasse Entreprise, InterContinental Hong Kong, Alain Ducasse, Rech, Rech by Alain Ducasse, seafood restaurant, Seafood, Oysters, Restaurant with a view, Best Hong Kong Restaurants, Best restaurant, Harbourview dining
Alain Ducasse Entreprise and InterContinental Hong Kong are thrilled to debut a new restaurant identity: Rech by Alain Ducasse within the former SPOON restaurant space which is newly renovated. Rech by Alain Ducasse at InterContinental Hong Kong is the first international outpost of Paris's most famous seafood restaurant, Rech, which was founded in 1925 by Adrien Rech and reborn by Alain Ducasse in 2007. An authentically French seafood experience, Rech by Alain Ducasse showcases the finest seasonal fish and oysters with the Chef's personal interpretation and contemporary cuisine.
As per InterContinental Hong Kong's General Manager Claus Pedersen, "We are delighted to continue our long-term partnership with Alain Ducasse Entreprise and to bring the first Rech restaurant outside of Paris to InterContinental Hong Kong."
The History of Rech
In Paris, Rech is one of the city's most famous seafood restaurants. It was created in 1925 by Adrien Rech, who arrived in Paris from Alsace. He first opened a grocery store that soon became a stylish café-restaurant where customers came to enjoy oysters from all around France, with seafood stalls, abundant with fresh shellfish just outside. Very quickly the reputation of the restaurant grew all around Paris; and an institution was born.
The restaurant was reborn, thanks to Alain Ducasse who took it over in 2007.
The Menu
As per Alain Ducasse, “To appreciate beautiful seafood is to appreciate its personality by knowing how to adapt the cooking process to reveal all the subtlety of flavours, unique to its own.”
An authentically French seafood experience, Rech showcases the best fish, shellfish and oysters from France with Chef Ducasse's personal interpretation and contemporary cuisine. It offers an unforgettable experience to enjoy the chef's exclusive know-how in preparing top quality fish and crustaceans.
The menu is an invitation to dive into the big blue – with inspired, passionate and creative dishes that change with the tides and the seasons, adapting to what the sea has to offer.
From the freshest oysters from France to the signature “Pan-seared line-caught sole, new potatoes”, seafood is the key attraction. The restaurant's famous aged Camembert, followed by desserts like "XL éclair, chocolate or vanilla" and “Mr. Rech”, made with chocolate from Alain Ducasse's manufacture in Paris, complete the experience.
Chef Stéphane Gortina, who has worked with Alain Ducasse for over 11 years at a diverse selection of his global restaurants (in Doha, St. Petersburg, Mauritius and Osaka, as well as Monte Carlo and Provence) and previously headed the SPOON kitchen, continues leading the kitchen. He has collaborated with Alain Ducasse on a menu that takes inspiration from the delectable seafood.
Both Executive Chef Stéphane Gortina and Restaurant Manager Rubi Widjija went to Paris earlier in January for an immersive experience at Rech Paris. They also visited Alain Ducasse's fish suppliers, the Jégo Brothers. in the port town of Lorient in Brittany to source the top quality fish for Rech in Hong Kong.
The Fish and shellfish
Most of the fish and shellfish at Rech comes from Europe - sourced in France (especially Brittany) from small, independent fishermen, strongly involved in the protection of natural resources. At Rech, only the best fish and shellfish are used, including species that are lesser known. The Jégo Brothers fish trade, established over 20 years ago in Etel, the ancient tuna port in the Morbihan, Brittany, provides Rech with extra fresh produce soley using fishing techniques respectful of the environment. Highly aware of the protection of marine balance, Giles Jégo rigorously keeps track of quotas, sizes, reproductive seasons and tidal movements, He explains, “The fish selection comes primarily from what the sea bestows us day to day.” The fish he selects for the Rech restaurants in Paris and Hong Kong are line-caught in small fishing boats whose outings are limited to three hours to enable them to bring the fish back to the quays in the light of dawn, still alive.
Rech by Alain Ducasse Specialties:
Oysters: Choose from four different types of French oysters (per 6)
- Princesse de Kermancy Creuses spéciales n°2
- Princesse de Kermancy Plates de Belon n°0
- Fines de Claire de Marennes Oléron n°3
- Gillardeau N°3
Starters:
- Club crab and mango
- Cookpot of tiny spelt, squid and sesame seeds
Fish & Shellfish:
- Grenobloise-style skate wing
Whole Fish:
- Pan-seared large sole with half-salted butter, tiny potatoes
The large sole comes from Brittany in France. It is cooked whole and then filleted table-side.
Camembert: From Normandy, the camembert is specially matured for 30-40 days.
This is the only cheese served at Rech Hong Kong.
Desserts:
- Rech: the signature dessert of Rech Hong Kong, named after Mr. Adrien Rech,
the founder of Rech Paris. It is comprised of hazelnut meringue, hazelnut ice-cream and warm chocolate sauce (from the “Alain Ducasse Chocolate Manufacture” in Paris).
- XL Éclair: Éclairs (chocolate or vanilla) are the signature dessert of Rech Paris.
They are extra-large, with a wonderful flavour – ideal for sharing as a sweet end of dinner.
Click here for the Rech dinner menu.
“Best of Rech” Sunday Lunch
Experience the “Best of Rech” with an authentically French Sunday Lunch featuring a selection of Rech signature dishes including fresh oysters from France, a trio of starters, cookpot of tiny spelt with squid and sesame seafood, Wild Cod Aïoli, Duck with mango, our famous Camembert and “Paris Parisien” pastries.
The lunch is inclusive of pressed organic fruit and vegetable juice, free-flowing Alain Ducasse Champagne and wine selections by our Head Sommelier, plus tea and coffee. (HK$888 + 10% service per person).
Sunday Lunch: 12 noon – 2:30pm
Click here for the Rech Sunday Lunch Menu.
Learn more about:
The Wine
Romain Loriot, formerly Sommelier at Rech Paris, has relocated to Hong Kong to oversee the wine cellar at Rech by Alain Ducasse. The Rech wine list which he has curated with Gérard Margeon, Executive Wine Director for Alain Ducasse Entreprise, showcases a dynamic selection of approximately 4.850 bottles and 468 different labels imported from France. The list showcases the country's diverse regions with the focus on freshness and white Burgundy and red Bordeaux selections.
Rech also has an extensive wine by the glass selection and the option of individual 450ml decanters, designed by Gérard Margeon, which seal in the temperature of the wine. Rech Head Sommelier Romain Loriot has imported special Jéroboams, with a rotating selection available by the glass or 450ml decanter.
The “Rech Side by Side” section of the list features wines from outside of France, made with French grapes imported to countries such as Austria, New Zealand and Australia. (This represents about 10% of the wine list.) For the opening two months, the wine list pays “Homage to Mr. Rech” with Rieslings from Alsace, the homeland of Adrien Rech, the restaurant's founder.
The Rech list is attractively priced with wine by the glass starting from HK$150 and wine by the bottle starting from HK$550. The list also includes an extensive selection of the finest French wines and exclusive vintages.
Romain has imported a selection of boutique Champagnes which are served in special Champagne “coupes” with hollow stems. For after-dinner drinks, there is a trolley of fine liqueurs served by the Jéroboam.
Learn more about:
- Head Sommelier Romain Loriot
The Design of Rech by Alain Ducasse
Marie Deroudilhe, who revamped the Parisian restaurant in 2012, has designed the Hong Kong outpost, which features signature elements from Rech Paris, with inspiration from the seaside.
The key design elements of Marie's light and airy décor are reminiscent of the sea -- the inside of a seashell, a piece of floating wood, drifting clouds, the shimmering sunlight on the surface of the water and waves -- interpreted in a special way in Hong Kong.
The special lamps at Rech by Alain Ducasse are handcrafted in Paris by French designer Céline Wright from 3,000 delicate small pieces of rice paper. They resemble floating clouds in natural daylight and glowing Chinese lanterns at nighttime.
Rech by Alain Ducasse at InterContinental Hong Kong brings the very best elements of Rech. Paris to its spectacular new harbourview location. The two restaurants share signature fish paintings by French artist Jean-Pierre Guilleron, made from actual fish prints on natural paper (using the ancient “Gyotaku” Japanese fish printing technique).
Both Rech Paris and Rech in Hong Kong have bespoke “Branca” chairs by British designer Sam Hecht for Mattiazzi (Italy). Inspired by driftwood, polished by the sea, each “Branca” chair is made robotically from a solid piece of beech wood with no metal, glue or nails.
The custom designed tableware by Belgian designer and ceramist Pieter Stockmans reflects seaside elements with his distinctive palette of deep cobalt blues. Each piece created by the artist is a unique and original item. New plates by bespoke French porcelain manufacturer Pillivuyt showcase the fish artwork of Jean-Pierre Guilleron. One-of-a-kind over-sized natural rocks from the shore of Brittany adorn each table – serving as a decorative item and also as a natural perch for the homemade seaweed bread.
Discover more:
About Alain Ducasse Entreprise
Alain Ducasse Entreprise devotes itself with passion to the culinary pleasures and arts of hospitality in order to answer to the needs of its varied, mobile and international customers. The group keeps on developing new ideas and ensuring their circulation. This constant search for excellence relies on the particular talents of the men and women of the group, on the utmost quality of its products and on a complete knowledge of modern technologies.
At the head of his group, Alain Ducasse is at once a chef-creator, and an entrepreneur. As creator, he insists on offering a cuisine that is just right; as an entrepreneur, he implements a modern economic model, the transmission of his knowledge and a relevant vision of the food service and hospitality industry. For more information, visit alain-ducasse.com or find us on Facebook and Instagram.
About InterContinental Hong Kong
Internationally acclaimed as one of the world's top hotels for business and leisure, the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star InterContinental Hong Kong has always been prized for its unrivalled views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island. The hotel is also renowned for its luxurious accommodation, impeccable service and world-class restaurants.
A destination for exceptional dining, InterContinental Hong Kong was the first hotel to bring world famous chefs to Hong Kong with the opening of SPOON by Alain Ducasse in 2003 and NOBU in 2006. In addition to Rech by Alain Ducasse, the hotel's celebrated restaurants include the 2-Michelin star Yan Toh Heen, NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong, THE STEAK HOUSE winebar + grill and Harbourside. The stunning Lobby Lounge, one of the city's most iconic meeting spaces, is the place for afternoon tea and evening cocktails.
With the opening of Rech by Alain Ducasse, InterContinental Hong Kong continues to bring exciting new world class dining concepts to Asia's World City.
For more information, visit: www.hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com or find us on Facebook and, Instagram.
For images, please click here.
Rech by Alain Ducasse
InterContinental Hong Kong,18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
E-mail: rechbyalainducasse.hk@ihg.com / Tel: (852) 2313 2323
www.hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com
Dinner:
Tuesday-Sunday (6:00pm-11:00pm)
Lunch: Sunday (12:00 noon – 2:30pm)
The Rech by Alain Ducasse Team:
Executive Chef Stéphane Gortina | Pastry Chef Francois Delaire
Restaurant Manager Rubi Widjija | Assistant Restaurant Manager Alexander Cufley | Chief Sommelier Romain Loriot
Capacity: 78 persons
Private Rooms/Areas: 1 private area for up to 10 persons / 1 private area for to 30 persons
For further press information, please contact:
Carole L Klein
Executive Director of PR & Communications
InterContinental Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2313-2335
E-mail: carole.klein@ihg.com
Emmanuelle Perrier
Director of Communication
Alain Ducasse Entreprise
presse@alain-ducasse.com
