Le Grill chef Kota Suzuki wins Monaco pâté croûte contest
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Kota Suzuki, head chef at Le Grill in the Hôtel de Paris, will represent Monaco at the pâté croûte world championships in Lyon on 30 November.
The Salle Empire at the Hôtel de Paris hosted twelve chefs from Monaco establishments on 1 October, each competing to earn the right to represent the Principality at the world pâté croûte championships. Kota Suzuki, head chef at Le Grill, took the title for the second time, confirming his place among Monaco's leading practitioners of the classic French terrine dish.
The competition drew judges and food enthusiasts to the hotel's historic dining room, with entries assessed on technique, presentation and flavour balance, the hallmarks of a dish that has become a serious culinary discipline in its own right. Suzuki's repeat win underlines the consistency of his approach at Le Grill, the rooftop restaurant known for its views over the port and its seasonal menus.
He now heads to Lyon on 30 November to compete against representatives from across France and beyond at the pâté croûte world championships, an event that has grown into one of the gastronomic calendar's more closely watched contests. For Monaco's hospitality scene, a second consecutive victory adds another credential to a sector that increasingly measures itself against the top tier of French culinary competition.