Goûts Et Couleurs

opened his own restaurant in Rodez, he divides his time between his two vocations as chef and painter, both of which are activities that he asserts himself in, and in his case complement each other. Practically self-taught, intellectual, audacious, intimate, and on top of everything, extremely creative, in sixteen years, starting from zero, he has managed to construct a very personal style and transform his small restaurant in Rodez into one of the most interesting dining establishments in France.

What we like most about Jean-Luc is his tenacity and untiring will to experiment. His has been a trajectory of continuous evolution of technique, aesthetics, and taste, always in search of the best processes available in order to exalt the basic material, the combination of seemingly incompatible products, the creation of audacious architecture of dishes and the superb execution of innovative concepts. The entirety is supported by an authentic passion, refined sensibility and, last but not least, generosity: with a price of 69 euros for 14 courses, the tasting menu of Goûts et Couleurs has an excellent ratio of price to quality.

There were many noble creations to take note of during our last visit, starting with a hot oyster accompanied by salt pork, litchis, and trout roe that surprised us in its considerable harmony; the raw shrimp, flattened and adorned with elderberry flower oil, finished with diced mango and a coral gelatin of intense but impalpable aromas; the extremely delicate squid with basil, green anis and an extraordinary emulsion of ink and violet. Fau continued to amaze us with the Meadow, made with an herb gelatin, enoki mushrooms, herbal mousse and truffle juice; a dish of a figurative cuisine of great visual and flavorful impact. The fresh farm chicken, a product of inarguable quality, arrived to us after being slowly oven-roasted and combined with coconut, passion fruit and smoked eggplant: magnificent! The bone marrow arrived to the table seasoned with salt, pepper and a little sugar, wonderfully accompanied by an ice cream of Dijon mustard: sublime! We finished with an impossible marriage of lobster and kidney, a daring alliance resolved with confidence by Jean-Luc. The kidney, cooked only on the fatty side, contrasted perfectly with the lobster thanks to a handful of risotto with squid ink and a bisque to harmonize the dish.

Is Jean-Luc a better chef or painter? We couldn’t say. The important thing, as far as we are concerned, is that he doesn’t stop cooking.