Discover Yannick Alléno's Favorite Restaurants in the South of France

Where the Chefs Eat asks your favourite chefs for their top restaurants in cities across the world. For this edition, we speak with Yannick Alléno. Yannick Alléno is a heavyweight in the food world, holding no fewer than 17 Michelin stars across 19 restaurants. When I meet him in London, at his restaurant Pavyllon in The Four Seasons Hotel on Park Lane, I am desperate to ask him what it’s like to receive such recognition, but fear I’ll come across as a dribbling sycophant. As with many successful people, though, he is very quick to credit those around him, demonstrating unwavering humility and almost a keenness to move on to other questions. “This is all the result of being surrounded by a fantastic team,” he insists. “I’ve got maybe 1,200 people on my books now, so these are not my stars; these are our stars.” At the age of 56, Alléno insists, “I feel like a kid of 28, so I can’t see myself slowing down”, and, with so much on his plate – team or no team – one wonders how he would even if he wanted to. Aside from Pavyllon London, he also heads up restaurants in Paris, Monte Carlo, and Corcheval, amongst others. Seeking to redefine French gastronomy, Alléno grew and trained under the shadow of Auguste Escoffier, as most in France did for years, but through his use of sauces, fermentation, and a modern approach to cooking, he developed a style that delighted and ultimately led to untold recognition. He has sought to “reinvent the basis of true French cooking” and tells me that “creativity is very important; when designing a new dish, I open the door for discussions. My team and I will test everything together and, when it’s good, we will get it on the counter, but in a three-star restaurant, for example, we might spend three months on one creation.” I ask Alléno where home is, as he works in so many different places, and he answers me simply: “The world is my home, but my main residence is in Paris.” One place he adores, however, is the South of France: “Oh my God, I love it.” He has the highly celebrated Le Table le Pavie in Saint-Emilion with a vineyard listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and “I’m hoping by the end of the year we will have a Pavyllon in Lyon. I love Lyon. From there, I take the car and stop at Saint-Joseph [the wine region] and then drive further south. I love that when we are there, we are close to the Mediterranean Sea and Monaco.” Alléno tells me he “tries to go every year to the South of France” so, who better to give us his five favourite restaurants in the region, which, unsurprisingly, all glitter with Michelin stars of their own… L'Oustau de Baumanière, Baux-de-Provence This is a well-established, highly respected restaurant that has been operating (under no fewer than three Michelin stars) since 1945. It is legendary and, “for me, [Chef Glenn Viel] is a genius with roasting vegetables.” Set within a Relais & Châteaux hotel, it has a vast wine cellar famous across France, so unsurprisingly, wine plays a huge part in each meal for the more oenological of guests. Aside from the exceptional food, the setting is worth a visit on its own, so it’s best to book a room and nestle in for a night or two. Baux-de-Provence – the nearby village – is picture-perfect, and the place itself is a stunning 16th-century farmhouse with a neighbouring 18th-century country house, known as the Manoir. “My favourite dish there was a very memorable red mullet dish served with a fine ravioli of sweet pepper and cuttlefish and compressed with fennel.” AM by Alexandre Mazzia, Marseille Again, this has three Michelin stars and a level of gastronomy that is elegant, refined, and draws crowds from around the world, not just France. “I had incredible breaded langoustines with sesame seeds and bonito, lemon-geranium condiment, and seaweed popcorn when I was there”, but any dish you order exemplifies the artistry of Alexandre Mazzia, whose creativity is almost impossible to define. The generous number of dishes is served as small plates, all bursting with flavour, and this really draws diners who are open to anything, ready to try the magic Mazzia masters create. Each sitting accommodates a few guests, and demand for those seats is high, so plan ahead if you want to visit AM. L'Hostellerie Jérôme, La Turbie La Turbie itself is a gorgeous medieval village and home to L'Hostellerie Jérôme, which overlooks nearby Monaco and the Côte d’Azur, so it’s not only the food that pulls people to book at this infamous two-star hotspot, operated under the watchful eye of Bruno Cirino. With over 30,000 bins to choose from in the wine cellar, wine-lovers will adore the seemingly endless offerings that can be enjoyed alongside some incredible shellfish creations. “I had the Langoustines à la vapeur, citron, citronnelle and jasmin – a careful preparation of langoustines with lemon, lemongrass, and jasmine. Bruno Cirino is, for me, the Alain Passard of fish and seafood!” La Mirande, Avignon “This is something very special, and chef Florent Pietravalle’s creative dishes, such as those with lisette and murex (sea snails), are unforgettable.” The location is also pretty hard to beat, set within a space that dates back centuries and adjacent to the Pope’s Palace walls, so it is steeped in history. There is a chef’s table in the historical building, though. If you’re there during warmer months and want to enjoy the beauty of Avignon and the restaurant garden, you can dine outside if you so choose. This has a Michelin star but also received a Green Star in 2025 for sustainable gastronomy. Using Provencal produce to create tasting menus of varying sizes, the sumptuous interiors of this stunning hotel make for a perfect weekend getaway. Le Petit Nice, Marseille Given its proximity to the sea, Le Petit Nice fully embraces the warmth and conviviality of the Mediterranean, though “one of my most memorable dishes there was “a matured longline peach with meyer lemon condiment and Cévennes sweet onion.” Local fishing boats bring seafood straight from shore to kitchen, so the freshness and locality of produce is unbeatable and, at certain times of the year, no less than 65 fish can feature on Gérald Passedat's three Michelin star menu. Set in an 18th-century Italian estate on the edge of the water, you definitely want to aim for a lunchtime booking on a terrace table with views out onto the adjacent seaside vista. Pavyllon London, Four Seasons Hotel at Park Lane, Hamilton Place, London, W1