Rougui Dia (pronounced Roogy) is the young chef from Senegal causing a sensation at Petrossian, the family-run caviar house, founded in Paris in the 1920’s by Melkoum and Mouchegh Petrossian. “A woman chef, who looks like Naomi Campbell, at the head of a top restaurant, it’s the gastro-happening of the year,” writes Jérome Berger in the weekly newspaper A Nous Paris. He dubs Rougui the “black pearl of Petrossian”.
Petrossian’s restaurant, above the legendary caviar boutique, has always been good, but now they’ve lucked out with Rougui. “It all began when I was 13,” explained le chef, one day last week. “One night my mother left me to prepare the dinner, I’ve been cooking ever since. Oh, taste these,” she insists, bringing out some chocolate nutella éclairs that the pâtissier just prepared.
“It was either fashion designer or hotel school,” she says of her decision to get behind the ovens. Hotel School at Villepinte and work experience in various restaurants, even serving at table. Then four years ago Sebastian Faré, with whom she had worked at Les Persiennes, invited her to join him at Petrossian. “I fell in love with the maison and its history,” she admits. So when Faré left to become a culinary-consultant, enter genial President & CEO, Armen Petrossian. “The restaurant needed to take on a younger more informal look,” he says. “And Rougui can take us in that direction, she has a natural way with fish, not an easy product to prepare well,” observes Petrossian, who tasted his first caviar when he was three months old.
So in comes a bright new décor, by Karen Petrossian, tables set well apart and a sensational lunch menu at 35€ (45€ at night). 6 starters, 5 mains (including Noisettes of Lamb, slow cooked for 7 hours with a tajine de fruits) and 3 desserts, say Macaron aux Pommes, Glace pain d’epices. Wash down with a nice red Cahors, or a white burgundy (5€). There is an extensive wine list and, of course darling, you’ll add caviar. If you don’t you can taste and buy downstairs, guided by Madame Cecile Petrossian. It’s fun in the boutique, always buzzing with BCBG’s, driver’s waiting patiently outside to schlep the 12-packs of Yablok (pure pomegranate juice, exclusive to Petrossian, does wonders for the arteries), the magnums of Dom Perignon, and of course the caviar.
“Petrossian Caviar was never a caviar like the others,” insists Armen Petrossian. His father and his uncle first introduced Paris to the magic of caviar in the 1920’s assisted by none other than Cesar Ritz. “It has neither the same taste, nor the same history as our competitors. The sturgeon eggs undergo a long and delicate process, rigorously controlled, using secret methods passed from generation to generation. It’s like wine, after selection, maturation and refining, the eggs are treated to restore their flavour and characteristics. And to smell it, people forget to use their noses these days.”
From her kitchen, Rougui admits to a weakness for the Ossetra and suggests one of the menus, “Les Chemins de la Tentation” with generous tastes of Sevruga, Beluga, L’Ossetra Royal and L’Ossetra Impérial.
Rougui’s new dishes include an extraordinary Pavé d’Esturgeon Poélé with tartare of algues and purée of charlotte potatoes (28€). Add some Caviar Transmontanus from California, with a small supplement bien sur. Other Rougui revelations are Ravioli de langoustines anisées à la coco (19€). Crevettes sauvage d’Iran au Curry (29€) and Tatin aux Mangues.(10€). “There’s a touch of spice, but not too much. I get my spices from chez Izrael in the 4th, and I’ve just discovered quinoa which goes very well with Saint Jacques.”
“It’s a warm team feeling in the kitchen, and no I don’t scream and shout, I can get things done while staying calm. We are a mixed bunch,” she smiles. “There’s me, a Muslim, working with French cuisiniers from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Brittany and then there’s the guys from Mali, Haiti, everywhere! It’s a kitchen without any discrimination, and that’s how I like it.”
Le ‘144’ and The Boutique Petrossian,18 Boulevard de la Tour Maubourg, 7th (Metro: Invalides)T: 01 44 11 32 32www.petrossian.frClosed Sunday & Monday.
Rougui Dia (pronounced Roogy) is the young chef from Senegal causing a sensation at Petrossian, the family-run caviar house, founded in Paris in the 1920’s by Melkoum and Mouchegh Petrossian. “A woman chef, who looks like Naomi Campbell, at the head of a top restaurant, it’s the gastro-happening of the year,” writes Jérome Berger in the weekly newspaper A Nous Paris. He dubs Rougui the “black pearl of Petrossian”.
Petrossian’s restaurant, above the legendary caviar boutique, has always been good, but now they’ve lucked out with Rougui. “It all began when I was 13,” explained le chef, one day last week. “One night my mother left me to prepare the dinner, I’ve been cooking ever since. Oh, taste these,” she insists, bringing out some chocolate nutella éclairs that the pâtissier just prepared.
“It was either fashion designer or hotel school,” she says of her decision to get behind the ovens. Hotel School at Villepinte and work experience in various restaurants, even serving at table. Then four years ago Sebastian Faré, with whom she had worked at Les Persiennes, invited her to join him at Petrossian. “I fell in love with the maison and its history,” she admits. So when Faré left to become a culinary-consultant, enter genial President & CEO, Armen Petrossian. “The restaurant needed to take on a younger more informal look,” he says. “And Rougui can take us in that direction, she has a natural way with fish, not an easy product to prepare well,” observes Petrossian, who tasted his first caviar when he was three months old.
So in comes a bright new décor, by Karen Petrossian, tables set well apart and a sensational lunch menu at 35€ (45€ at night). 6 starters, 5 mains (including Noisettes of Lamb, slow cooked for 7 hours with a tajine de fruits) and 3 desserts, say Macaron aux Pommes, Glace pain d’epices. Wash down with a nice red Cahors, or a white burgundy (5€). There is an extensive wine list and, of course darling, you’ll add caviar. If you don’t you can taste and buy downstairs, guided by Madame Cecile Petrossian. It’s fun in the boutique, always buzzing with BCBG’s, driver’s waiting patiently outside to schlep the 12-packs of Yablok (pure pomegranate juice, exclusive to Petrossian, does wonders for the arteries), the magnums of Dom Perignon, and of course the caviar.
“Petrossian Caviar was never a caviar like the others,” insists Armen Petrossian. His father and his uncle first introduced Paris to the magic of caviar in the 1920’s assisted by none other than Cesar Ritz. “It has neither the same taste, nor the same history as our competitors. The sturgeon eggs undergo a long and delicate process, rigorously controlled, using secret methods passed from generation to generation. It’s like wine, after selection, maturation and refining, the eggs are treated to restore their flavour and characteristics. And to smell it, people forget to use their noses these days.”
From her kitchen, Rougui admits to a weakness for the Ossetra and suggests one of the menus, “Les Chemins de la Tentation” with generous tastes of Sevruga, Beluga, L’Ossetra Royal and L’Ossetra Impérial. 
Rougui’s new dishes include an extraordinary Pavé d’Esturgeon Poélé with tartare of algues and purée of charlotte potatoes (28€). Add some Caviar Transmontanus from California, with a small supplement bien sur. Other Rougui revelations are Ravioli de langoustines anisées à la coco (19€). Crevettes sauvage d’Iran au Curry (29€) and Tatin aux Mangues.(10€). “There’s a touch of spice, but not too much. I get my spices from chez Izrael in the 4th, and I’ve just discovered quinoa which goes very well with Saint Jacques.”
“It’s a warm team feeling in the kitchen, and no I don’t scream and shout, I can get things done while staying calm. We are a mixed bunch,” she smiles. “There’s me, a Muslim, working with French cuisiniers from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Brittany and then there’s the guys from Mali, Haiti, everywhere! It’s a kitchen without any discrimination, and that’s how I like it.”
Le ‘144’ and The Boutique Petrossian,
18 Boulevard de la Tour Maubourg, 7th (Metro: Invalides)
T: 01 44 11 32 32
www.petrossian.fr
Closed Sunday & Monday.
