Four New Dream Properties and Nine New Grands Chefs Join Relais & Chateaux

NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Year is off to a brilliant start for the acclaimed hospitality group Relais & Chateaux, with the addition of four stunning properties to its collection of 500 hotels and gourmet restaurants in 60 countries.  The Association has also accepted nine new Grands Chefs into its ranks -- the title bestowed on the most accomplished chefs -- further strengthening its position as the world's leading group of gourmet chefs.  

The Association's new members and Grands Chefs, who must be voted into the group, create unique guest experiences that reflect the charms of their region and possess a passion for hospitality and exceptional standards.

New Members  

Combal Zero in Italy is situated within a 13th century fortress in the magnificent Castello di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art.  Grand Chef Relais & Chateaux Davide Scabin presides over what the media has called one of the "10 life-changing restaurants."  He was one of the first to experiment with futuristic cuisine, devising a "zuppipizza" -- liquid pizza accompanied by "virtual" pasta.  The choreographic quality of the dining experience makes his meals truly unforgettable.

Grand Chef Relais & Chateaux Jacques Decoret from La Maison Decoret in France is recognized for creating a new chapter in the culinary arts.  In a brick chalet dating from Napoleon III, the chef applies his innovative skills to create unusual, delightful combinations.    

At Restaurant Europea in Montreal, Canada, Grand Chef Relais & Chateaux Jerome Ferrer offers modern, intuitive cuisine in a Victorian house in the heart of downtown Montreal.  A high point of the stunning culinary experience is the maple crystalline that breaks apart like delicate crystal.  Villa Samadhi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is an intimate urban retreat minutes away from the city center.  Select suites feature fully-equipped kitchens where the chef creates personalized menus.  

New Grands Chefs – Blackberry Farm in the US

A child of the Deep South, Grand Chef Joseph Lenn creates cuisine in harmony with the surroundings of his elegant and traditional hotel and farm, Blackberry Farm, in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee.  His restaurant, The Barn, offers a sophisticated version of the culinary traditions of the South, using vegetables, honeys, cheeses and other produce from the estate.  The former 19th century barn is a grand setting in which to relish the earthy delicacies of the estate's bakery, butchery, salumeria and creamery, and the highly-regarded 8,000-square-foot wine cellar.

Grands Chefs Philippe Colinet and Yoshihiko Miura preside over Auberge des Templiers in France, which was the first hotel on Relais & Chateaux' original 1954 "Route du Bonheur" from Paris to Nice.  The chefs draw their inspiration from the rich culinary heritage of the region.  Hotel du Castellet, also in France, with Grand Chef Christophe Bacquie, bases its cuisine on seasonal produce from the South of France, enlivened by a hint of flavors from further afield, such as a filet of suckling pig confit cooked for 36 hours.  

Diners at Villa am See in Germany feast their eyes on some of the finest panoramas in the Alps, while Grand Chef Michael Fell feasts include beetroot ennobled beside a Perigord truffle and a saddle of venison en croute with the crust prepared from walnuts and spices, served with black salsify.  

Grand Chef Antonio Guida's magnificent sea-side hotel in Tuscany, Il Pellicano, reinvents Mediterranean cuisine with herbs and vegetables from the estate's garden.  Courgette flowers accompany a cuttlefish risotto and red mullet in mascarpone sauce, langoustine tempura is served with monkfish, and anchovy tartare with a sweet and sour sauce is partnered with crystallized vegetables.  At Pont de Brent in Switzerland Grand Chef Stephane Decotterd delights gourmets with creations based on the best of local produce, such as "vinaigrette of crayfish from Lake Geneva" and "composition of boletus mushrooms with fresh almonds."

About Relais & Chateaux

Relais & Chateaux is an exclusive collection of 500 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants in 60 countries.  Established in France in 1954, the Association's mission is to spread its unique "art de vivre" across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character.  Relais & Chateaux is also a family of hoteliers and chefs from all over the world who share a passion for and a personal commitment to ensuring their guests are privy to moments of exceptional harmony and unforgettable celebrations of the senses.  From the vineyards in the Napa Valley to the beaches in Bali, from the olive trees in Provence, to the lodges in South Africa, Relais & Chateaux offers the finest routes to discover each special place and country.  

SOURCE Relais & Chateaux