Poteaux’s food is straightforwardly good, cloaked in nothing but vibrant Mediterranean flavors and influences of his California experience
In 2003, Poteaux took the reins to revive Aquarelle. He was quickly being touted by Zagat as a “serious chef.” Seconded Corinna Lothar of the Washington Times, “Aquarelle is back, better than ever…
In February 2005, the respectable gourmet institution, the James Beard Foundation invited him to cook a Six-Course tasting menu in New York City (The Hill).
Cooking is in Poteaux’s blood. When he was a boy, he worked in the kitchen of his family’s restaurant in Paris and spent his summers with his grandfather in his pastry shop in Bordeaux.
In 1997, Poteaux moved to the United States to focus on his culinary career and shortly began training at the French Culinary Institute, while working evenings at star-studded Restaurant Daniel in New York under Chef Bradford Thompson (2005 James Beard Award winner)
He relocated to Los Angeles, cooking in the best restaurants, including Hollywood famed L’Orangerie under chef Ludovic Lefebvre and Patina. He became the Chef de cuisine of Bouchon. He cooked at the upscale Jonathan Club as their Executive Banquet Chef for the Los Angeles business and political elite, before returning to the East Coast in 2003.
He was quickly snatched up by Aquarelle, following in the footsteps of his compatriot, the late great Jean-Louis Palladin, whose legendary restaurant put the Watergate complex on the culinary map.
Garbee grew up influenced by her Great-grandmother's cooking and her Mom's infamous "boiled" Peach dumplings.
Searching for her own way out of a small town in southwest Missouri, taking a high school cake-decorating class set her career in motion. In 1994 she graduated from Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky, with degrees in pastry and culinary arts. After stints as pastry chef at noted California bakeries and restaurants, including Juliann's Bakery in San Jose, CA, the The Palace in Sunnyvale and Icon Supperclub in Palo Alto, she headed east to become the director of operations for Amphora Bakery in Virginia. In 2004 she joined Poteaux at Aquarelle, where they began collaborating on sweet and savory dishes alike.
Her favorite choice of ingredients are citrus fruits, exotic spices, nuts and (of course) bittersweet chocolate.
"Michelle has a tremendous amount of talent and creativity" quips Poteaux. "Unlike most pastry chefs, who care nothing for the concepts of the savory side of the operation, she is involved at every level of the menu creation."
Michelle and Christophe philosophy is to incorporate much of the creative pastry techniques in the overall menu of the restaurant. This makes for a whole new range of flavors, textures and concepts on every course: Sea scallop Crème Brulee, Black Truffle ice cream, White Anchovy and Parmegiano Regiano Pana Cotta…
Unconventional, yes! But much like the partnership, unexpected combinations yield the sweetest outcomes.
Her creative talents were noticed by the James Beard Foundation where Michelle was the featured chef on June 9, 2006 and presented her vision of a Six-Course tasting menu to New York's gourmet society, combining the savory and pastry techniques used in todays kitchens.
Christophe Poteaux
Before opening Bastille
in Old Town Alexandria,
Christophe Poteaux was the Executive Chef of the Watergate Hotel.
Michelle Garbee-Poteaux
Before joining
Christophe Poteaux in
opening Bastille, Michelle Garbee was the Executive Pastry chef of the Watergate hotel.
Bastille
