The story
On the rue des Grands-Augustins, Ze Kitchen Galerie has been William Ledeuil’s unclassifiable first restaurant since 2001. The name is a promise: a window open onto the world, doubling as a space for contemporary art. The urban, arty atmosphere comes from the imagination of Ledeuil’s friend Daniel Humair, a painter and jazzman, whose works share the walls with those of Tony Soulié. The pared-down lines of the room and furniture, designed by Léopold Gest, let the art breathe.
Ledeuil describes his approach to food as expressing taste through colors, calling broth a palette of aromas and flavors. That philosophy earned the restaurant its first Michelin star in 2008, a recognition it has held ever since, and a 16.5 rating from Gault&Millau. The kitchen, visible to guests, is a live stage where Ledeuil and his cosmopolitan crew craft inventive, healthy dishes that build true culinary bridges between France and Asia.
This fusion cuisine is not about gimmicks. It shows in dishes like Burgundy snails laced with sake and artichoke in a Thai coconut lemongrass broth, or a dessert of white chocolate–wasabi ice cream with strawberry, Thai basil, sticky rice, and pandan milk. The menu changes with the seasons—summer brings courgette flowers with shrimp Thai broth and crab, while June might feature duck from Madame Burgaud with a blackcurrant–umeboshi condiment. Each plate is a composition of shapes and colors, a feast for the eyes before the palate.
Ze Kitchen Galerie is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, with tasting menus of five or seven courses. The spirit of the place can also travel: Ledeuil and his crew offer to cook at your home for groups of six or more, bringing the same vibrant, ingredient-driven cooking to your table.
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For the past 20 years, William Ledeuil has been impressing loyal crowds at this loft-like atelier space furnished by designer Léopold Gest, which features vibrant paintings by Daniel Humair. In the kitchen, the young Paul Andréjac (ex-Jules Verne) directs a cosmopolitan culinary opera with zero false notes, interpreting the master chef’s Asian-inspired score. The day we went for lunch, the €48 tasting menu featured: a shot of tomato/melon gazpacho with briny notes of bluefin tuna bresaola for the amuse-bouche; magical lobster and shellfish in a coco de Paimpol bean, green curry and lemongrass broth; perfect pollack swimming around in a bouillabaisse jus with chanterelle mushrooms, zucchini blossom tempura, purple basil and coriander seeds; before some sensual figs cooked in syrup, served with summer berries, coulis and a nectarine-shiso sorbet. At night, the big shot chef himself serves his fantasized version of Asia in five or seven courses – a few examples: porcini and spinach ravioli with a yuzu kosho jus and a gojuchang condiment; slow-roasted wagyu beef with a pepper-mostarda condiment; kohlrabi and wild sunflower; roasted scallops with cabbage, smashed potatoes and a ginger jus… // A.D.
For the past 20 years, William Ledeuil has been impressing loyal crowds at this loft-like atelier space furnished by designer Léopold Gest, which features vibrant paintings by Daniel Humair. In the kitchen, the young Paul Andréjac (ex-Jules Verne) directs a cosmopolitan culinary opera with zero false notes, interpreting the master chef’s Asian-inspired score. The day we went for lunch, the €48 tasting menu featured: a shot of tomato/melon gazpacho with briny notes of bluefin tuna bresaola for the amuse-bouche; magical lobster and shellfish in a coco de Paimpol bean, green curry and lemongrass broth; perfect pollack swimming around in a bouillabaisse jus with chanterelle mushrooms, zucchini blossom tempura, purple basil and coriander seeds; before some sensual figs cooked in syrup, served with summer berries, coulis and a nectarine-shiso sorbet. At night, the big shot chef himself serves his fantasized version of Asia in five or seven courses – a few examples: porcini and spinach ravioli with a yuzu kosho jus and a gojuchang condiment; slow-roasted wagyu beef with a pepper-mostarda condiment; kohlrabi and wild sunflower; roasted scallops with cabbage, smashed potatoes and a ginger jus… // A.D.
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