I just returned from the dreamiest South of France food research trip. I started in Provence then ended my trip on the Cote d’Azure.
Spending a few weeks at a time in different regions of the world to fully immerse myself in the local culture and cuisine has been a dream of mine since my twenties. I feel grateful I get to do that now as part of my dream job in creating global, nourishing menus for all of you!
I’ve been focusing a lot of my travel during the past few years on the Mediterranean because Mediterranean dishes, along with Americana, are among the most popular on our menus. Plus, as you know, we’re huge believers in the Mediterranean lifestyle and diet, which is why we collaborated with Stanford University to validate the benefits of a Mediterranean diet and why I’ve spent weeks living in Ikaria, Greece, and Sardinia, Italy, two of the world’s Blue Zones that are located in the Mediterranean.
I'd describe Pronvencal cuisine as extremely comforting, hearty, and stew-and casserole-based. There’s ample potato and bread to accompany meals as the main sources of carbohydrates, and the primary vegetables used most often are zucchini, tomato, and eggplant. There's, of course, heavy use of both lavender and herbs de provence seasoning, which includes thyme, oregano, summer savory, and rosemary.
One of the tastiest things I had in Avignon was a duck casserole that reminds me of Shephard’s pie. At the bottom of the casserole dish was a wine-braised duck and vegetable stew. It was topped with mashed potatoes. There was no need to add any butter to the dish because the rich flavor of the duck seeped into the veggies and potatoes. This was served for dinner at a tiny and adorable bed and breakfast in Avignon called Bastide de Bellegarde. Funny enough, the owner is actually from the UK and works alongside a local French chef.
As far as fine dining in the region, one of my favorites is Restaurant Dan B. It has a modern minimalist decor that differs from the French country style seen at most other restaurants. Plus, it sits on top of a hill with a breathtaking view. I loved how the staff all wore matching jumpers and immediately Slacked Stephen requesting that we do this for our team uniforms haha! The meal included a flavor combo that I loved: asparagus and leeks. My favorite course was a mouthwateringly juicy guinea fowl served alongside fresh garlic and preserved lemon. This dish definitely gave me inspo as we design this year’s Thanksgiving menu.
Another hotel in Avignon that I loved was La Divine Comedie Suites. The decor was quirky and artsy, including giant animals in their living rooms. The main downside of this hotel is they don’t serve meals there besides breakfast. It’s not a deal breaker as it’s located in Avignon’s old town where all the best restaurants are. Note that it’s pretty hairy driving to this hotel and parking at it as the roads are very narrow. If you aren’t comfortable driving in narrow streets then park outside of the town and walk to the hotel.
Another thing to note is that a lot of restaurants in Provence are closed on both Saturday and Sunday, so make sure you look up the schedules of the restaurants you’re most excited to eat at before you create your itinerary. I learned this the hard way. Restaurant Pollen is supposed to be the best place to eat in Avignon right now and it’s closed on Saturdays and Sundays, so I wasn’t able to eat there because I was only in the area during the weekend.
In the St. Tropez area, I highly recommend checking out a stunning wellness hotel called Hotel Lily of the Valley located on the opposite side of the peninsula. The hotel has a full gym, workout classes, personal training, and extremely healthy cuisine with plenty of dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan options. It also has one of the best spas I’ve ever been to in my life with all the most cutting edge facial treatments plus sauna and steam rooms. The hotel is a 30-minute drive from the party area of Ramatuelle and a 45 minute drive from the touristy port of St. Tropez, but I didn’t find that to be a hindrance. You can also book lunch or dinner at the hotel even if you aren’t staying there.
Dinner at Hotel Lily of the Valley
St. Tropez beachside lunches are a must! I highly recommend Nikki Beach St. Tropez (book a day bed by the pool if you can), Bagatelle St. Tropez, and Shellona if you’re in the mood to party. Club 55 and Loulou have calmer vibes. Be sure to make reservations or you won’t get a table. These are all great places to dress to impress with your favorite resortwear.
I popped into Cannes for a few days during the film festival and stayed at The Carlton Cannes. The hotel was recently modeled this year. It’s gorgeous and has a massive gym. The only downside is the hotel is so big they won’t bring you an iron and ironing board but only have a steamer in your room. This wasn’t strong enough to get the wrinkles out of my linen clothes and evening dresses, so I had to have the hotel iron my clothes for me, which ended up being pricey.
If you’re thinking of doing Cannes for the film festival for the first time, make sure you hit up your network of friends in the movie and tv industries in advance of your trip and ask them to get you onto lists for the private parties. The only fun stuff to do during the film festival at night is attend the private parties. There’s only one club that’s open to the general public, and it won’t be a great experience because it only includes people who couldn’t figure out how to get into the private parties. As a last resort, one of my friends was able to meet people on Tinder who took him to film festival events, so that’s an option as well if you’re single lol! Whether or not you stay at the Carlton or the Majestic hotels, these are hotels you’ll want to pop into during the film festival just for the people watching because they’ll be packed with celebs and models getting ready for the red carpet. It’s so fun seeing women dressed like absolute queens! If you don’t mind staying a little further out from the festival, then try Eden Roc.
Cuisine in La Cote d'Azure is light and impeccably cooked everywhere you go. No overcooked fish or rubbery octopus here. The meals are largely seafood-based and often accompanied with very garlicky sauces like aioli and pistou (French pesto). There is an abundance of garlic, tomato, peppers, and citrus in most of the meals. One of the best things I had was a decadent Nicoise salad. It inspired me to level up our own Nicoise.
Here are 3 new meals our team is recipe testing right now based on my South of France learnings (there will, as usual, be vegan versions of each!):
Provencal Cognac + Pancetta Braised Grass-fed Beef Shin Stew with Ratatouille Batons, Garlic Fava Cauliflower Mash, Firebird Tomatoes, Herbs de Provence Roasted Almonds
Bouillabaisse Wild Cod, Fava Bean, and Cardoon Soup w/ Preserved Bergamot Pistou and Paprika Almonds
Seared Wild Halibut w/ Espelette Pepper + Garlic Rouille Aioli, Fava Ful Medames Stew, Broccolini, Cauliflower, Hazelnuts, Citrus Lav§ender Infused Olive Oil
We can't wait to get these new meals live on the menu for you and hear what you think. If there are any favorite dishes you’ve tried in the South of France that you’d love to see on our menu, let us know and we’ll see if we can add it.
Julie