MIRAZUR COTE D’AZUR LUXURY DREAM OFF THE TOURIST TRACK
by Gianluca Errico
MENTON. Also, here in Cote d’Azur is a luxury dream off the tourist track like the Mirazur in Menton, hidden on a hilltop high above the sea on the French side of the Riviera, just moments from the Italian border. Mirazur is a terrace restaurant that spread over three levels with its own citrus grove and avocado trees, a vegetable garden and even a patch for wild herbs and edible flowers. The elegant, spacious, light- drenched dining room commands a panoramic view of the sea and of the town of Menton through the large windows running all the way around. The 1950s building was remodelled by Rick Mather to form a new restaurant, bar and tea room seating 310 people, with external garden spaces featuring a new cocktail terrace and a covered timber deck.
Cantilevered stairs link to the garden, and new concrete stairs in a double-height volume link the bar and reception to the restaurant below. The external facades have full height openings and frameless windows in order to increase transparency and allow spectacular panoramic views of the Mediterranean and the town of Menton. Mirazur is an idyllic spot to enjoy the food of the skilled chef Mauro Colagreco, which takes inspiration from his Argentine-Italian heritage as well as the local French region. Colagreco headed to France in 2001 as a newly qualified chef, trained at the Lycée Hôtelier de La Rochelle; since 2002 is working with French chefs, as Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu until his death in 2003. He then worked with 50 best regulars Alain Passard at Arpège and Alain Ducasse at Hotel Plaza Athénée before spending a year at Le Grand Véfour. In 2006, he established Mirazur, earning his first Michelin star within a year, a second in 2012 and the third in 2019. Also, he was named “Revelation of the Year” in 2009 by Gault-Millau, becoming the first non-French chef to be given that title. in 2007 the Mirazur is awarded its first star in the Michelin guide. In 2008 the Mirazur enters the top 100 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and in 2009 Mauro Colagreco is named “Chef of the Year” by the Gault & Millau guide that awards him with four toques in 2010. In 2011 the New York Times paper points Mirazur as one of 10 restaurants around the globe to keep an eye on. 2012 is a fabolus year for Mauro who wins two stars in the Michelin guide and is appointed Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. In 2013 Colagreco is named “Grand Chef” for Relais & Châteaux association and in 2014 thee Mirazur ranks 11th in the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants”, becoming the highest-rated French, restaurant on the list, then in 2016 ranks 6th and in 2017 gains two places in the ranking. The same year the Mirazur becomes a member of the Grandes Tables du Monde and Mauro Colagreco is appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite. Another place is gained in 2018, when the Mirazur is ranked third best restaurant in the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants”. The just forty-three years old super-talented chef born 5 october 1976 in La Plata – Argentina serves the freshest produce in his adopted French paradise.
With ingredients coming from Colagreco’s own backyard farm and the market of Ventimiglia, diners can expect a feast of flavoursome products from just-picked heirloom vegetables to sparklingly fresh seafood. Courses might include monkfish with topinambur puree and Piedmont hazelnuts, or anchovy fillets on fried anchovy skeletons with juice from Menton’s famous lemons. Colagreco’s signature of oyster with tapioca, shallot cream and pear is a modern classic in the making. Mauro prepares also three tasting menus of exquisite dishes. First come the tapas – a tiny lacy crisp of squid-ink rice and finely diced vegetables; a shot of yellow gazpacho – followed by starters such as risotto made with red quinoa and wild cèpes. A basket of fresh bread arrives accompanied by a heavenly pool of Colagreco’s own lemon-ginger olive oil. Mains include coquilles Saint-Jacques with fennel ice cream, and mackerel with an orange and carrot purée. The surprises continue with an array of refreshingly light desserts such as the show-stopping coriander-cream cannelloni encased in spun sugar and served with yogurt ice cream.
Colagreco has been in France for almost 20 years and celebrated in 2016 the 10th anniversary of Mirazur, but he also owns other prestigious venues around the world. The dynamic chef is custom-designing suitable menu for receptions, cocktail parties, private dinners, openings, weddings.
Together with his team Mauro makes every occasion memorable, whether in a private villa, on board a yacht or in an unusual setting; or of course at the Mirazur restaurant, which can be entirely booked, offering a seating capacity ranging from 250 for dinner and up to 500 for a cocktail reception. Among his most important custom-designed events, we recall the followings: in June 2014, he commanded the gala-dinner presided by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, for 160 guests in the occasion of the Exibition “Sharks and Humanity” that seized the universal language of Art to raise public awareness across borders and cultures.
In July 2014 he supervised a VIP anniversary dinner for 60 guests in a private villa in Saint Tropez; in Aout 2014 he organized breakfasts, lunches, dinners and cocktails receptions in the occasion of the four-days launch of the new Boucheron Collection;
In Bari-Italy in September 2014 Mauro created a special decor for a stunning Indian wedding on the beach with an entirely vegetarian menu for 700 guests…in the same month he brought his staff and his competence for a private dinner for forty guests in a London Mansion. In the occasion of the launch of the new cruise Dior collection at the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de- Vence in May 2015, Mauro organized for the Press and for the House’s best customers a lunch for 170 guests and a dinner for 210 guests. In June 2015, he organized two dinners for Van Cleef&Arpels exclusive clientele at the Villa Key Largo – Cap d’Ail for 20 guests and at the Yacht Club of Monaco for 70 guests…and many other… For more information and a personalised estimate, please contact: commerciale@mirazur.fr+ 33 (0)4 92 41 86 86
Mauro Colagreco has developed a complete collection of traditional first cold-pressed olive oil for the HUILERIE SAINT-MICHEL situated at the rue de Bréa 5 in Old Menton, including Menton lemon, lemon-ginger and lemon-Sichuan pepper.
Restaurant Mirazur
30, avenue Aristide Briand
06500 Menton
Tél : +33 (0)4 92 41 86 86
reservation@mirazur.fr
For more information and a personalised estimate, please contact Aurore Negro:
events@maurocolagreco.com
