Le Chef's Wife community now has a French Restaurant in DC where they can experience Le Chef's cooking for themselves. If you love the recipes on this blog, you will love dining at L'Avant-Garde DC and may even recognize some of the dishes!
Le Chef, my dear husband, Sébastien Giannini, recently re-opened chic Georgetown French Restaurant, L'Avant-Garde DC, as Partner Chef. He has teamed up with creative director, Fady Saba, and the entire team of L'Avant-Garde to bring his generous French cuisine, inspired by his native French Riviera, to DC.
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French cuisine at home
I must admit that I have enjoyed the liberty that the past 3 years of Sébastien cooking for a private household has afforded us. Saturday afternoons spent trying new recipes, me sitting in the kitchen writing down each step, resulted in 3 of the best years for Le Chef's Wife blog. Moments that I will treasure forever, with our young kids underfoot.
While Le Chef may not be as available to teach me new recipes every weekend, I am so happy for him that he is back in a professional kitchen, sharing his love of French cooking with all of DC and fulfilling his life long dream of leading a French restaurant with his cuisine.
I am so incredibly proud of him. And our kids are really proud of their Dad too.
I am happy to share with you what L'Avant-Garde wrote about his arrival (mixed with some of our personal photos for you).
L’Avant-Garde DC welcomes Partner Chef Sébastien Giannini
Georgetown’s most elegant French Restaurant renews its commitment to an authentic French experience partnering with Chef, Sébastien Giannini. Inviting guests to fall in love, even more, with L’Avant-Garde, which re-opened on Valentine's Day.
Fady Saba, Operator and Creative Director of L’Avant-Garde wrote, “I am extremely happy to bring on Sébastien not only as our Chef but as our business partner. He is a master technician and incredibly passionate about French Cuisine. I can’t wait for L’Avant-Garde’s patrons to experience the generosity of his cuisine.”
About Sébastien Giannini
Born and raised in Toulon, France, Sébastien’s first culinary experiences were shopping at the seaside fresh food markets with his grandmother. “My Grandmother inspired me to learn how to cook. She went to the market every day and always used the freshest ingredients”.
Sébastien’s culinary career started in Michelin starred restaurants of the French Riviera and Courchevel, including at the two Michelin starred Le Kilimanjaro and Leï Mouscardins by Chef Laurent Tarridec in St Tropez. Chef René Bergès at Le Relais de la Victoire, in Aix en Provence, and his favorite, the seaside L’Ile Rousse, Bandol, both with one Michelin star.
Sébastien completed his Masters in Culinary arts. After graduating he attended ten different “stages” with Chefs Alain Ducasse and Franck Cerutti.
France
His first role as Chef de Cuisine came at the young age of twenty-one in Cannes and at twenty-three was Executive Chef of a 5 star hotel (L’Auberge de la Vignette Haute) where he led a gastronomic restaurant, Les Milles Chandelles. The restaurant was reputed for its exemplary cuisine and Sébastien earned the name, “Le Petit Prince”, of Provençal cuisine in honor of his culinary mentor, Guy Gedda.
Sébastien competed in prestigious cooking competitions such as the “Grand Prix Culinaire Escoffier” and the “Bocuse D’Or”, representing his native Cote d’Azur in the illustrious cooking competition in 2010, while he was Executive Chef of Le Meridien Nice. Sébastien became known for his modern touch on classic French Riviera dishes.
Montreal, Quebec
Offered the opportunity of an international career, Sébastien led the kitchens of the prestigious Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, where he managed a team of one hundred and ten employees. During the four years he spent in Montreal, Sébastien was the official coach of Team Canada at the Bocuse D’Or finals in Lyon, France in 2015.
Washington, DC
Sébastien has called Washington, DC home since 2017 when he relaunched The Alhambra restaurant as Executive Chef of The St Regis, Washington, DC and then as Executive Chef of both The Watergate Hotel and The Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC before taking the role of Culinary Director for a Private Family and Foundation.
Serving Presidents has become Sébastien’s signature - from President Sarkozy to Prime Minister Trudeau to diplomatic figures from around the world.
Sébastien lives in McLean, Virginia, with his wife and two kids, aged 6 and 3.
L’Avant-Garde French Menu
Elevated and elegant French cuisine infused with the sunlight of Sébastien’s native French Riviera.
“I am excited to bring an authentic French restaurant experience to Georgetown, sun-kissed by the Riviera sun of my native Cote d’Azur”, says Sébastien. “Recipes that highlight seasonal produce and a flair for simple, yet elevated French cuisine.”
Here is a glimpse of what Sébastien is cooking at L’Avant-Garde DC.
Royal Seafood Tower
A towering 3 tiers laden with Giant prawns, poached lobster, king crab legs, fresh shucked oysters, scallops ceviche, rosé sauce, tuna condiment, mango mayonnaise and Ossetra caviar .
Tuna Tartare
Tuna two ways, raw and marinated, with preserved lemon, Medjool date purée, garlic chips, caper berries and kumquat jelly, fresh mint and slivered almonds.
Duck Confit
One of Chef Sébastien’s competition dishes from the Bocuse D’Or. Pressed Duck thigh terrine, confit for 8 hours, topped with slivered almonds, served with a micro herbs salad and a truffle juice vinaigrette.
Diver Sea Scallops
Pan seared with thyme and bay leaves, accompanied by steamed leeks wrapped in nori and roasted cauliflower. Topped with fresh lemon zest, Ossetra caviar and beurre blanc.
La Fraise
The strawberry served four different ways, an ode to summers in Provence. Strawberry sorbet, strawberry jelly, guimauve and chocolate ganache, baked meringue and topped with gold leaf.
“Working as a team, combining the craftsmanship of Partner Chef Sébastien, with the savoir-faire of our cocktail program led by Beverage Director Hakim Hamid and wines by Chef Sommelier Samantha McCrimmon, served in a dining room led by Service Director Robert Rooney, we are offering an incomparable, genuine French Restaurant experience in DC”, says Fady.
About Le Chef's Wife
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (6 and 3) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
I share our home cooking on Instagram, pinterest and tiktok. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to receive my new recipes and have advance access to cooking classes. I look forward to cooking with you!
Au plaisir,
Le Chef's Wife
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