A bar open from noon to midnight… and beyond

Midi-Minuit is a bar open, as its name suggests, without interruption from noon to midnight, with the possibility of enjoying a cocktail in broad daylight. Given the neighborhood where we are located, and with the restaurant offering in the same establishment, we wanted to create a space that is open, where one can come for both private and professional meetings. This is one of the reasons we chose to offer a developed non-alcoholic selection, although it is not the only reason. I have worked on this category with more formats and diversity according to the time slots.

The atmosphere of the place is intended to evolve throughout the day – much like the bar menu. It starts with music revolving around jazz, but we also want Midi-Minuit to have a nightlife, which is why we are not necessarily destined to close at midnight, especially thanks to the ballroom of the private hotel that connects with the bar. It was important for me not to open a "restaurant bar," but a bar in its own right, and I am happy that Alain Ducasse also supports this project. The place needs to have its own life, its independence, to be lively and festive, as it is under the sign of the art of joy. Therefore, Midi-Minuit will also need to be discovered in this other dimension, with late-night, danceable evenings. This is, in particular, what excited me about this project: both a daytime establishment, very bright, with large windows overlooking a square with greenery, and the possibility of nightlife in a neighborhood that is not well supplied with cocktail bars. We hope that people will show up.

Finally, new spaces will open a little later – in the spring – in the private hotel, but it is still a bit early to talk about that.

A cocktail menu without a strong concept

I am not a proponent of very conceptual menus, as they can tend to box you in. Certainly, I like to have a guiding thread, as long as it is not too constraining; I allow myself some liberties. However, attention will always be paid to the diversity of ingredients, spirits, and types of cocktails. That said, the menu of Midi-Minuit has an underlying theme, driven by Alain Ducasse and chef Christophe Saintagne: joy – which a cocktail is by essence, in my opinion.

Around this framework, I have added an idea of synergy of all the arts, taking into account numerous know-how, from design to cuisine, including glassware. For now, Midi-Minuit offers nine cocktails on the menu, although about twenty have been created beforehand, of which seventeen were validated. I selected the drinks in line with the season, but also resonating with the cuisine. I want to test what fits the place, what is in tune with the times.

However, some cocktails, like the Negroni JMF (note: in reference to Jean-Michel Frank, a major figure in decorative arts between the wars who oversaw the innovative decoration of the private hotel of Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles, where the Maison Baccarat is located today) and the Epinal already have a strong identity and could – in time – become classics of the establishment.

Regarding the Epinal, I have had this cocktail in mind since the genesis of the Baccarat project. It was created for a specific glass – the Narcisse – in which it is served and corresponds to the idea of synergy of crafts - glassware, cuisine, ice carving - to result in a Martini à la française, with Provençal touches. But one must know how to step back behind their menu, let it live its life – even if one has favorites.

However, I do not let myself be completely guided by success, and if two cocktails of the same type are successful, I can remove one to create a bit of frustration and encourage the discovery of new tastes.

Even though Midi-Minuit is not a restaurant bar, we are a large community here, and I want the team to identify with certain cocktails. For your information, we also have a nice selection of spirits, focused on whisky and rum, available for tasting.

An independence with the restaurant that does not exclude complicity

Midi-Minuit is truly independent from the restaurant. However, working in an establishment with a kitchen plays a significant role. It doubles the amount of equipment available, and we share knowledge, and sometimes ideas.

For example, if I need a particular technique, the kitchen can help me with that.

I did not necessarily want to practice "pairing" with the kitchen; however, we offer a non-alcoholic cocktail paired with a dish – which is quite rare – as part of a restaurant menu. Thus, you have the option to participate in a professional lunch while having a dish-cocktail experience, but exclusively "spirit free." This was my intention, to encourage choosing this option and discovering that "non-alcoholic" can also be elaborate.

Of course, alcoholic drinks can also be served in the restaurant, but without links to the cuisine.

Baccarat glassware: its influence on cocktail creation and ice work

I have really worked a lot on glassware, as it plays an important role. Indeed, like wine, the container influences the taste and aroma of the cocktail. Here, at Baccarat, I could not finalize my cocktails before knowing the glassware we would use, as it acts like a showcase. Some drinks have even been canceled or modified because they did not correspond to the available glasses – the selection is not unlimited. We are very far from what is currently done in the world of mixology, with a minimalist trend. Moreover, these glasses were not designed for the evolution of ice, particularly the use of clear ice.

Now, we think a lot about how the glass accommodates clear ice. This constraint has been transformed into a strength. That is why we work with ice (note: supplied by The Nice Company), like some other Parisian bars that have an "ice program." In our eyes, the size of the ice is our tribute to crystal, to the reflections of light on the ice cube. There are similarities with the work of crystal that we see on chandeliers. This training around ice has been closely followed by Raphaël Blanc, notably thanks to his past experience in other establishments like Sherry Butt.

Working in duo with Raphaël Blanc

It is really very pleasant to work in duo when it works so well. Within the Alain Ducasse group, Raphaël is the mixology manager, and I am the chef in collaboration and partnership with Alain Ducasse for everything related to artistic direction and cocktail creation. Raphaël is truly the person I cannot do without, with whom I work in close proximity. He ensures that everything runs smoothly and finds its concrete application. Here, he will always be the number one reference, as he is the person with the most experience. But that does not take away from his many other responsibilities within the group.

A creation process under the sign of freedom

I have the freedom to decide my direction. Then, we have a collegial tasting system with Alain Ducasse, but also chef Christophe Saintagne, at the end of which the recipes are validated.

Generally, my proposals have faced few vetoes. By choosing me as cocktail chef, Alain Ducasse knew my tastes – close to his: a palate inclined towards acidity and bitterness, with rough edges.

Generally, this takes place at Combat. We do a tasting there with the chef where I let him taste, most often, many more recipes than what the menu requires, and we find the guiding thread together. We validate, we adjust. I also need someone else's opinion, as I was creating alone, so I also let Raphaël taste in a second phase, then Alain Ducasse to finish.

Release of the Signatures in Alain Ducasse's establishments

This was somewhat the number one objective of the signature with Alain Ducasse: the release of the Signatures, meaning a cocktail menu available in all of Alain Ducasse's addresses. Everything has been designed to offer a very refined mixology that can be served both by the sommelier and the service staff.

There will be clear ice in all the restaurants, as well as cocktail glassware. This will start with all the group establishments in Île-de-France. Alain Ducasse explained that if we "signed" together, it had to have an effect, with a concrete offer, and not just a simple communication gimmick.