Chef Ignacio Mattos’ Culinary Collaboration with Legendary Restaurant Girafe for the Paris 2024 Olympics
An ultra-exclusive activation orchestrated by Chase Sapphire sees a menu of delectable dishes served alongside a view of the Eiffel Tower
As eyes around the world have turned toward Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, the city’s luminous layers of culture—from acclaimed art and architecture to pioneering fashion and sumptuous cuisine—have found themselves woven into the global discourse. And rightfully so, as few cities match the cultural majesty of the French capital. Contributing to this allure, chef Charles Ducrocq’s Girafe remains one of the most sought out restaurants in the Parisian culinary landscape because of its gourmet menu and unmatched views of the Eiffel Tower. For the Paris 2024 Olympics, Girafe has mirrored the city’s international influx by welcoming beloved NYC-based chef Ignacio Mattos—of Altro Paradiso, Lodi and the Michelin-starred Estela—into the kitchen for a collaborative menu.
Together, Ducrocq and Mattos have crafted a metaphoric best-of list that spotlights classics from Girafe and Estela; though, dishes from the latter are slight translations of those found in NYC (as the chef is working with ingredients sourced from France for this partnership). Highlights here are plentiful. Ducrocq’s luscious seafood platter feels at home alongside the endive, walnut and anchovy salad Mattos made famous at Estela. Guests can savor Mattos’ signature fried arroz negro or his flavorful bavette steak with black sesame béarnaise, or dip their cutlery into Ducrocq’s roasted cod with clams and chorizo. Both chefs have made dessert obligatory thanks to Ducrocq’s vanilla and praline-filled choux and a show-stopping warm chocolate cake with whipped cream from Mattos. Altogether, the collaborative à la carte menu has been imagined to let visitors explore pairing items from each chef.
This inspired epicurean exchange, which will run daily through 11 August, is the vision of Visa (an official Olympic sponsor) and Chase Sapphire—and reservations to Girafe (including its upper terrace and its even-more-impressive, eagle-eye vantage of the Eiffel Tower) are solely accessible to Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers. This is one of Chase Sapphire Reserve’s many top-tier activations throughout Paris that both complement the Olympic Games and tap into the city’s innate splendors.
“It’s a dream,” Mattos tells COOL HUNTING of the opportunity, a few days before doors opened at the pop-up. “This menu, of course, is not as large as it is at Estela but you have a good sense of what we do there. We’re also leaving room for improvisation. We will get there once we’re settled into the place. Within the first week, we will be able to source things that will surprise some of the guests.” Mattos shares that the menu development included overcoming challenges—from the rhythm of the Parisian restaurant’s kitchen to accommodating the size of Girafe (which is three times that of Estela) to the language barrier. Mattos, who was born in Uruguay, has been working with a translator.
Ultimately, he says, “This is not that different from what we do in New York in terms of our approach and what we are trying to communicate with the cooking. We let the ingredients speak for themselves. It’s a lot harder than it sounds—being able to present things within a certain unassuming simplicity and at the same time be unexpectedly bold and confident.” Mattos finds it all exciting—Paris, Girafe, and bringing their cooking styles together for this collaboration. He also says that he and Ducrocq have found humor along the way, and that they’re having fun.
Mattos opened Estela—which he refers to as “a place with a lot of character on what I thought was a very random block”—back in 2013. More than a decade later, it has maintained its acclaim and its audience. “The continued success surprises me, but a part of me thinks that when you put your heart and soul into something, regardless of what that is, it resonates with people,” the chef says. “This is something for people to remember, regardless of the service they provide. If you are genuine, you can touch a person’s soul. This belief has no borders. It resonates everywhere.”
In 2019, after years accumulating accolades, Estela received a Michelin star. Mattos expresses deep gratitude for the award but says it isn’t his primary motivator. Rather, he says, “it’s important to stay focused and keep working with the same motivation that you started with. You need to want to do things a little bit better every day. That’s the responsibility we all have. We need to let people come into our space and surrender themselves to a good time. We cannot forget how special it is when people sit at a table together and, most of the time, put their phones down. It’s one of the few times where you are able to connect with people. That’s why people are so receptive to what we do.”
You need to want to do things a little bit better every day. That’s the responsibility we all have. — Chef Ignacio Mattos
For Mattos, Altro Paradiso and Lodi are necessary creative outlets. “It’s like juggling,” he says. “My dishes all fit their places. I love Lodi and that style of dining as much as I love Altro. I love that Altro has this fluid, family-oriented vibe. You can eat there three times a week. Sometimes you have an idea when you’re cooking at Estela and it just doesn’t fit. Then you realize it’s perfect for Altro or it works at Lodi, maybe because we have another piece of equipment there or it might appeal to the different clientele. Without all three, I would feel very limited.” But, he adds, if you pay attention, you’ll notice they’re all of the same culinary DNA.
After overcoming a few years of hardship, NYC’s restaurant scene seems to be flourishing. “It has developed so much,” Mattos says. “There are so many places to eat. We are pretty spoiled because it’s such a treat to have this range of style, from the most casual places to the highest-end dining experiences. It has evolved—and you can find things now that used to not be available. It wasn’t a possibility. The exciting thing is how much more is there.” Overall, he adds, “New York is still at the top.”
“Right now, however, I am living the dream here in Paris, with an incredible pop-up at Girafe, at the Olympics, with partners like Chase Sapphire who are allowing us to create this magic,” he says. “They’ve even allowed us to bring our staff from New York. It’s really amazing to be able to partner with such professionals. I cannot think of anything better.”
I want to give the expected in an unexpected way so that guests walk away and say, ‘wow, what just happened?’ — Chef Ignacio Mattos
As for takeaways from the collaboration, Mattos prefers people make their own assessment. “My values are all there in my cuisine,” he says. “The experience at a restaurant should speak for itself. You can tell if the staff is excited to be there or not; if they care about the place or not. I really think the most magical places speak for themselves. That’s what I want people to remember. I want to give the expected in an unexpected way so that guests walk away and say, ‘wow, what just happened?'”
When he’s not at the Girafe pop-up, Mattos will be attending some Olympic games with his family, who have joined him in Paris. “I’m a big fan of the Olympics. I’m all in,” he says. “I have endless memories of watching them from home. And now, this is my first one in person. I’m so excited. I was walking down the stairs and I said to myself, ‘this is crazy! I’m at the Olympics.'” But not only is he present, he’s contributing in a spectacular way—as one of the hottest reservations in town.
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