Virtus

Chef Frédéric Lorimier's cuisine at Virtus represents the pinnacle of contemporary French gastronomy, built on a foundation of classical technique and elevated by exceptional ingredients and creative vision. His background includes training with Arnaud Donckele, one of France's most celebrated three-Michelin-starred chefs, and this pedigree shows in every meticulously prepared dish.

The menu changes with the seasons, reflecting Lorimier's commitment to working with products at their peak. Seafood features prominently, with the chef demonstrating particular mastery in preparations like the signature barbue de ligne meunière—a classic sole preparation executed with contemporary precision—and the dramatic rouget flambé served with perfectly crisp pomme de terre soufflée. These dishes showcase the chef's ability to honor French culinary traditions while bringing his own refined sensibility to each preparation.

The cuisine emphasizes precise cooking techniques that allow exceptional ingredients to shine. Whether preparing the langoustine juste saisie au sarrasin torréfié, which highlights the delicate sweetness of perfectly seared langoustine against the nutty complexity of toasted buckwheat, or the dos de chevreuil rôti with its rich sauce grand veneur, Lorimier demonstrates complete command of temperature, timing, and flavor balance. The smoked and roasted poultry represents another signature, showing the chef's skill with game and fowl.

Signature elements enhance the dining experience: warm bread arrives with carefully rolled butter, and the restaurant's practice of serving sauces separately allows diners to appreciate both the pure flavors of main ingredients and the complexity of the chef's aromatic, perfectly balanced sauces. Dishes like the tomate cœur de bœuf glacée and lisette iodée demonstrate creativity in vegetable and fish preparations, while the pigeonneau showcases mastery of more challenging proteins.

The tasting menu format allows Lorimier to guide diners through a progression of flavors and techniques, with each course building on the last to create a cohesive culinary narrative. Every dish reflects the chef's philosophy of generous, elegant cuisine that satisfies both intellectually and sensually. The cooking is sophisticated without being fussy, complex without being overwrought—the mark of a chef confident in his vision and technique.

All dishes are prepared in-house using fresh, carefully sourced ingredients, many from the nearby Marché d'Aligre, ensuring quality and supporting local producers. This commitment to ingredient excellence, combined with Lorimier's technical mastery and creative vision, has earned Virtus its Michelin star and three toques from Gault et Millau—recognition that confirms the restaurant's position among Paris's finest dining establishments.