EUROPE FINE DINING MICHELIN TOUR BY PRIVATE JET
At VXO we have lived, worked in and travelled Europe for many years. With its fabulous cities, rich history, culture, and importantly its food and wine heritage, there are so many delicious options to consider when structuring your touring itinerary.
Over thirty cities in Europe have Michelin restaurants, so there is some thinking to be done to decide what you’d like to eat and where you would like to eat it. So, for starters, here is a tour that may tempt you covering four cities, with a couple of restaurant options in each.
MICHELIN RESTAURANTS IN LONDON
London is at the cutting edge of fine dining restaurant evolution and innovation. Host to seventy Michelin starred restaurants covering every culture and style of cuisine, this is arguably the leading restaurant capital in the world.
We also love London hotels, from the classics like The Ritz and Claridge’s, to the stunning Shard, or to Mayfair’s boutique Art Deco Beaumont, there are so many luxurious choices.
You will always enjoy suite dreams with VXO.
RESTAURANT GORDON RAMSAY (3*) - CHELSEA - LONDON
Head chef and co-owner Matt Abé, delivers an outstanding menu of British and French classics with lobster ravioli, sweetbreads, aged beef and game when in season are regular features. The culinary skills and finesse of the kitchen brigade are simply outstanding.
The wine cellar is managed by head sommelier and Ramsay veteran, James Lloyd. The extensive listing is impressive and is hosts many world class wineries with numerous notable vintages.
He’s probably the most famous chef on the planet, but even with his array of businesses, Ramsay remains totally committed to the delivery of the same outstanding food and service that won him three stars back in 2001 in this Chelsea institution, his favourite restaurant.
LE GAVROCHE (2*) - MAYFAIR - LONDON
Michel Roux Junior delivers his “Menu Exceptionnel” including his legendary cheese Souffle Suissesse, crab salad, Loch Duart salmon, morel pasta, roasted veal loin, a cheese trolley of gargantuan choice, desserts, and petits fours. In our opinion, this rates amongst the very best two-star dining experiences.
The wine list as you would expect includes a healthy selection of Burgundy, Rhone and Alsace producers. There is also a selection of the very best left and right bank Bordeaux wines too.
There are very few Michelin chefs who have not been influenced by the Roux dynasty. Ramsay, Koffman, Galetti, White, Wareing and a host of others have worked in the basement kitchens of this Mayfair townhouse and learned the classic French techniques that underpin so much of what today’s fine dining is all about.
MICHELIN RESTAURANTS IN SAN SEBASTIAN
San Sebastian was once the holiday playground for Spanish royalty. This beautiful small city on the Bay of Biscay is now home to more Michelin restaurants per capita of any city in the western world. It is a food and wine lover's paradise, with a wonderful natural larder and an array of delicious Galician wines, the majority of which you will never see outside of the Basque country.
There are several excellent hotels and our choices are the luxurious Maria Cristina, the boutique Akelarre, and Villa Favorita, all wonderful and guarantee suite dreams.
AKELARE (3*) - SAN SEBASTIAN
There are two excellent tasting menus showcasing the outstanding skills of the kitchen brigade, and equally the quality and breadth of Spain’s natural larder. Given San Sebastians location it is no wonder that fish and shellfish frequently feature on the menus, along with beef, veal, and game.
The cellar holds an impressive collection of Spanish wines and vintages. There are several excellent Bordeaux and Burgundy listings also.
The creative inspiration is driven by Head Chef Pedro Subijana. He is a legend within the Michelin world and widely recognised as one of the founding fathers of the new Basque cuisine.
AMELIA (2*) - SAN SEBASTIAN
The tasting menu is based on fish and shellfish and the quality of produce sourced through small growers, farmers and fishermen, and the technical competence and skills of the team are outstanding.
The restaurant only has three tables, and bar seating for twelve, with a fully open kitchen. This is an intimate and relaxed experience, and a bit like dining in your front room, but in a good way.
The wine offer is unique in our experience, where 90% of the cellar’s wines are available by the glass. The list encompasses wineries from around the world but only those whose methods of production are organic or biodynamic, make the list.
Chef Paulo Airaudo trained in two of the world’s finest three-star restaurants, Arzak in San Sebastian, and The Fat Duck in Berkshire, England.
MICHELIN RESTAURANTS IN TAORMINA
The ancient small town of Taormina is perched on a hilltop overlooking the Ionian Sea. It may be small, and carved into the hillside, but it’s a playground for those who appreciate the finer things in life.
With its beautiful grand villas, wonderful ancient Roman theatre, exclusive boutiques, superb 5-star hotels, Michelin restaurants, and glorious views of Mount Etna, there is nothing really to dislike.
Our choice of the best hotels, The Grand Hotel Timeo, The Ashbee and the San Domenico Palace are all magnificent with excellent suites.
ST GEORGE BY HEINZ BECK 1* - TAORMINA
The very best of the Sicilian natural larder features in all the dishes in this great restaurant. A five or seven course menu with langoustines, foie gras, spaghetti, risotto, red mullet, lamb, sirloin and beautiful soft fruit desserts.
Set in the beautiful Ashbee Hotel the restaurant looks out over the gardens and the Ionian Sea. This is a relaxed dining experience with first class service. The wine list is also excellent with some stunning Sicilian wines.
Heinz Beck is an outstanding chef, and his Michelin pedigree is well established with several other restaurants and collaborations including the three star La Pergola in Rome.
OTTO GELENG (1*) - TAORMINA
Sicilian cuisine at its very best with wonderful produce farmed, caught, and grown in mineral rich volcanic soil. The menus are always interesting with dishes like suckling pig with Syracuse potatoes, cuttlefish risotto, Tortelli with endive and rabbit, and amberjack with saffron, parsley root and lime.
The wine list hosts the largest collection of Italian wines that we have ever seen, and a small but very fine selection of French Burgundy and Bordeaux. Equally, the collection of vintage champagne deserves some attention.
Dining on the terrace on a balmy evening, sipping champagne and enjoying this wonderful cuisine, and with tables for only sixteen diners, this is one of those unique and exclusive fine dining experiences.
MICHELIN RESTAURANTS IN MONACO
Some say we keep the best until last, and why not, when it is the most famous principality in the world that we take you to.
Monaco, the ultimate playground and host to so much wealth, is undoubtedly the international capital of luxury. There is the best of everything here, and in Monte Carlo, and we take you to two very fine restaurants, and two of the finest hotels in the world.
LE LOUIS XV (3*) - ALAIN DUCASSE À L’HOTÊL DE PARIS - MONTE CARLO
This is an extraordinary three-star dining experience. The cuisine is classic mediterranean, Provence vegetables with black truffle, coastal red mullet, San Remo gamberoni, fire roasted Quercy lamb and Lozère veal
The restaurant is the culinary centrepiece of Monte Carlo’s legendary Hôtel de Paris on Casino Square. The dining room is magnificent, and the service is faultless on every level. The wine list is exceptional with an excellent sommelier team on hand.
In 2005 Alain Ducasse became the first chef to have three restaurants awarded three Michelin stars at the same time - He currently holds nineteen stars.
PAVYLLON (1*) - YANNICK ALLÉNO - HÔTEL HERMITAGE MONTE CARLO
A celebration of Mediterranean cuisine, including many hand-picked plant-based produce and seafood– langoustine raviolis, cheese souffle, foie gras with chanterelles, steamed turbot, wagyu beef, veal sweetbreads, the menus are excellent and cater for all tastes. Opened in 2022, it gained its first Michelin star within months.
The terrace at the Hôtel Hermitage is stunning, overlooking the old town and harbour and is arguably the finest on the French Riviera. Service is a perfect blend of care, knowledge and expertise without being overly fussy.
A Parisian, Yannick Alléno is one of the worlds finest chefs and currently holds three Michelin stars in two of his other restaurants, Pavilion Ledoyen in Paris and Cheval Blanc in Courcheval.
FINE DINING MICHELIN TOURING WITH VXO IN EUROPE
TAILORED TOURING - BUILDING WHAT YOU WANT WHEN YOU WANT IT
VXO tailored touring works on the principle that we design itineraries specific to the cities, restaurants, and activities that you would like included.
Our itineraries on this website are an indication of what cities and restaurants we can include when building an experience for your party.
Touring is not just about the restaurants, we build in activities, sightseeing, perhaps a bit of retail therapy, fun, and time for relaxation to soak up your surroundings and possibly indulge in some pampering too, it’s the finer details that really make the experience.
We have considerable tour management experience and expertise, with a dedicated team who really understand the dynamic of multi-location touring, and we personally host your tour.
We recognise that things may change for any number of reasons when on tour, so we provide a 24/7 concierge service to assist and help you and your party in any way, always acting with discretion and confidentiality.
TRAVEL
We take care of all your in-country travel requirements when you are touring with us in the Europe
Our aviation division has global access to over 30000 aircraft, and we secure the best internally configured private jet for your party, and helicopters for airport and location transfers when required.
On the jet there is a full cabin service and we like to arrange a vintage Bollinger tasting on one of the legs.
We can also assist with your inbound and outbound travel routing if you are connecting from another country whether that be on scheduled flights or private.
We work with a partner network providing chauffeured VIP ground transport in Europe.
ACCOMMODATION
We have excellent knowledge of the best hotels in the cities that we visit, and we’ve stayed over in a few of them too.
Depending on your group’s demographic, and whether it needs to be in town, downtown, or out of town, we’ll recommend a few 5 star, premium or boutique hotels.
We also like to ensure where possible, that there are in-house Spa’s, gyms and great food and drink available too.
Your accommodation is always in suites or premium rooms.
CONTACT US
Interested in touring with us or perhaps just want to ask a question? Contact us by filling the form or call:
UK: +441382913000 Mon/Fri (9.00-5.00)
UK: +441224600124 (24hrs)
USA: +19177649935 (24hrs)