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PARIS — At Louis Vuitton, it’s not just monogrammed trunks that travel.
Since opening its first branded café and restaurant in 2020 at its flagship boutique in Osaka, Japan, the French luxury house has established culinary outposts across the globe, signaling its broader ambition to position itself as a cultural entity.
Now it’s launching the Louis Vuitton Culinary Community, a worldwide network of chefs mentored by Arnaud Donckele and Maxime Frédéric, the duo behind the brand’s annual summer restaurant in Saint-Tropez.
As they prepare to reopen the outdoor eatery at the White 1921 Hotel, which was recently awarded a Michelin star, the two chefs spoke to WWD about their gastronomic ambitions for Vuitton, which is gearing up for a series of exclusive pop-up dining experiences in Asia.
“Saint-Tropez is the birthplace of this community,” said Donckele. “We really want to build a family.”
Maxime Frédéric and Arnaud Donckele
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
The first members of the collective are Leonardo Zambrino, who has helmed The Hall by Louis Vuitton in Chengdu, China, since its opening in 2022, and chefs Christophe Bellanca and Mary George of Le Café Louis Vuitton in New York City, which opened last November.
Two additional members will be named soon, said Donckele. Meanwhile, the group also counts “friends” such as brothers Enrico “Cicco” and Roberto “Bobo” Cerea, who last month opened the DaV by Da Vittorio Louis Vuitton restaurant and adjoining Le Café Da Vittorio Louis Vuitton in Milan.
Everywhere the brand alights, it aims to replicate the template of relaxed elegance set by its Saint-Tropez venue. “I would describe this restaurant as neo-gastronomy: it’s gastronomy with super friendly service,” said Donckele. “It’s about lifestyle: there’s music, there’s a vibe.”
The food, while rooted in Mediterranean ingredients, is an invitation to travel: think wagyu beef in an aromatic bouillon inspired by traditional French stews, or grilled bluetail lobster with a shiso-infused sauce. Desserts include rhubarb vacherin, or hazelnut meringue with lemon sorbet.
A dish by Arnaud Donckele from Louis Vuitton’s summer restaurant in Saint-Tropez.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Donckele, 48, and Frédéric, 35, have worked together since 2019 at the Cheval Blanc Paris hotel, which like Vuitton is owned by luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Donckele, who trained under Alain Ducasse, helms the hotel’s gastronomic restaurant Plénitude, which holds three Michelin stars.
“I could be his big brother,” said Donckele, noting he and Frédéric both hail from Normandy and are descended from farmers. Their first meeting went so well, they talked for three hours. “I think we both came away from it overwhelmed, because it’s a bit like meeting your twin.”
Together they have established a template of light fare, like a toasted croque-monsieur sandwich embossed with Vuitton’s famous Monogram design.
“The idea was to draw inspiration from the brand’s heritage and give the impression that the dishes, pastry and chocolate have always existed,” said Frédéric, though he noted there was some hesitation about putting logos on the food. “At first, we had guidelines like, ‘No eating the monogram!’”
Gradually, the duo have grown more confident and playful. Frédéric’s fanciful chocolate creations now incorporate the brand’s flower-shaped mascot, Vivienne, and this Easter, he debuted a Chocolate Egg bag inspired by a 2019 handbag design by Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of women’s collections.
The patio of the Arnaud Donckele and Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton restaurant in Saint-Tropez.
Stéphane Muratet/Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
With 283,000 followers on Instagram, Frédéric is rapidly becoming a star chef, though he’s still far short of his former boss Cédric Grolet, who has 12.5 million.
“I didn’t join Louis Vuitton to become world famous. Obviously, that’s the direction it’s taking now and it’s incredible and truly an honor,” said Frédéric, who appeared alongside K-pop star Felix in a YouTube video with nearly half a million views, but mostly avoids the celebrity hubbub.
“Human relationships are at the heart of this adventure. My grandmother always said that in the end, family and friends is all that remains,” he said.
Reflecting his desire to remain grounded in reality, Frédéric recently opened a neighborhood bakery, Pleincoeur, in the picturesque Paris district of Batignolles with his wife Claire.
“I don’t follow fashion,” he said. “Above all, I love tradition, respect for elders and common sense. And when you look at the history of the house of Vuitton, it’s really rooted in practicality.”
His chocolates are sold at the LV Dream exhibition space and gift shop in Paris, as well as in Singapore, Shanghai and New York, with another venue planned for later this year.
A dessert by Maxime Frédéric from Louis Vuitton’s summer restaurant in Saint-Tropez.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
But while snacks, pastries and confectionery are part of the French lifestyle that Vuitton is keen to export, the culinary collective is all about cross-cultural exchanges. Each chef contributes local delicacies that will then appear on the menu in other locations.
“There will be some constants, but there will also be dishes truly rooted in each country and you’ll find little touches of France, Italy or Bangkok on the menu, because Louis Vuitton is all about travel,” said Donckele.
Collaborations foster the spirit of innovation and collaboration.
Earlier this month, Indian chef Gaggan Anand — known for combining molecular gastronomy with Thai and Japanese influences — joined forces with Yosuke Suga, the talent behind Vuitton’s Sugalabo V in Osaka, for a three-day pop-up dining experience at Gaggan at Louis Vuitton in Bangkok.
Chefs Gaggan Anand and Yosuke Suga at Gaggan at Louis Vuitton.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Chengdu’s The Hall has also hosted a series of partnerships with fellow Michelin-starred establishments such as Bangkok eatery Sühring or Caprice in Hong Kong. Zambrino will team with his counterpart Vicky Cheng of acclaimed restaurant Wing on a four-hands dinner available for only three seatings this Friday and Saturday.
“We’re creating future menus with 10 or more hands,” Donckele said, noting that clients will have access to signature dishes from top chefs across the planet, united by the same set of values. “That’s unique. Today, there isn’t a restaurant in the world that offers this.”
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