As if Paris wasn't enough of a foodie destination, there's a new executive chef at the Hotel Bel Ami.
Christophe Hay has been director of cuisine at the Hotel de Sers for over two years, and last year re-launched the restaurant menu of the Hotel Edouard VII. He is now the executive chef of the third hotel in the Bessé Signature group, the Bel Ami.
Hay comes from a farming family in the department of Loir et Cher. He studied his trade for three years under Eric Rethler at the Rendez-vous des Pêcheurs in Blois and later came to the United States to direct the kitchens of the French Pavilion in the Epcot Center in Florida. He returned to France after several years in America.
The acquisition of the Hotel de Sers by the group Bessé Signature included renovation of the restaurant and the extension of the kitchen, and a re-launch of the restaurant of the Hotel Edouard VII, which is also owned by the group.
Hay selects his suppliers personally so that he can keep control of the traceability of the products he puts on his menus. As well as with the organic gardener Julien Bouche, he has worked for several years with Vincent Doucet in Brittany for fish, and with Didier Racoupeau and the butchers Chassineau for meat. He also works with Dominique Fabre for his selection of organic cheeses from Touraine.
The Hotel Bel Ami is located at 11 Rue Saint-Benoît in Paris. Visit www.hotel-bel-ami.com for more information.