For this four-hands dinner, Benoît Witz welcomes chef Théo Sanchez around a shared idea: cooking the tree in its entirety. Through fermentation techniques, five tree species found on the estate reveal themselves on the plate through their myths, uses and ecosystem.
Chefs Benoît Witz and Théo Sanchez offer a different perspective on the Provençal landscape by placing the tree at the heart of their culinary approach.
In contrast to a gastronomy that often favours the fruit or the most prized part of a plant, this menu explores the tree in its entirety. Roots, bark, sap, buds, leaves, flowers, young fruit, ripe fruit and seeds become ingredients to cook with and stories to tell.
Each dish is built around five emblematic trees found on the estate and the ecosystems that surround them. Their history, symbolism, ancestral uses, chemical composition and connections to the living world inspire a cuisine deeply rooted in its territory.
Here, fermentation acts as a tool for discovery. It transforms parts that are traditionally overlooked, develops their aromas, reveals their full culinary potential and gives new life to the ingredient. More than a technique, it becomes a way of connecting time, landscape and memory.
16 July Menu
Root-to-Stem – Langoustine / Loquat / Dashi
One of the few trees to blossom in winter and bear fruit in spring, the loquat symbolises patience and renewal. Here, it is explored as a living organism in its entirety, revealing all its complexity.
The Golden Apple and the Serpent – Eel / Quince / Samphire
The sacred fruit of Aphrodite enters into dialogue with the serpent, instigator of war and symbol of love, transformation and rebirth.
The Mulberry and the Bird – Quail / Mulberry / Mushrooms
This dish evokes the legend of Pyramus and Thisbe, a tragic love story to which the mulberry tree pays tribute.
The Fig and the Wasp – Cheese / Fig / Bread
This inverted inflorescence depends, for its reproduction, on a unique relationship that is brought to light in this dish.
The Apricot and the Frost – Apricot / Almond / Flowers
The fragile beauty of an early blossom, suspended between the promise of spring and the threat of frost.
Meet Théo Sanchez
After working in Michelin-starred and fine dining restaurants across France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Sweden, Théo Sanchez has developed a contemporary culinary approach centred on fermentation, heritage ingredients and the preservation of artisanal know-how. His work brings together gastronomy, art and symbolism.
Founder of the gastronomic events Ooway and the fermentation laboratory Prima Athanor, he explores the connections between food, culture and transformation. Drawing on French, Nordic, Mediterranean, African and Japanese influences, his work is guided by a deep respect for flavour, the transmission of traditions and the expression of terroir.
Now based in the south of France, he divides his time between creating fermented products, organising culinary events and sharing his expertise through an approach where research, technique and poetry converge.
