Alain Ducasse: Step by Step to a Sustainable Future
Sustainability has become a defining issue in the hospitality industry, with restaurants playing a crucial role in shaping a greener future. From sourcing local ingredients to minimising food waste and reducing carbon footprints, chefs and restaurateurs are rethinking traditional practices to create a more sustainable dining experience. In some cases, this means going back to the roots of cooking – using home grown methods. One of the most adamant defenders of this natural style of cooking is Alain Ducasse who is known for his advances in ensuring his restaurants are held to the highest culinary standards. We were lucky enough to sit down with the Michelin star chef at the Forbes Travel Guide Summit in Monaco, the home of the Ducasse restaurant Le Louis XV and talk about his thoughts on sustainability as well as how Brexit impacted his business in London. At the FTG event he was honoured for his lifetime achievement to luxury hospitality and tourism.
While his restaurant at the Dorchester is award winning, he continues to develop his artisan chocolate shops.
Interviewer: Let's start with the Dorchester (in London) and the different challenges that you encountered. What makes it different from other markets that you worked with?
Alain Ducasse
Since opening, the restaurant evolved very nicely from a nice French restaurant to a more fine dining experience and that is because there was a demand for that. The clients were in demand of fine dining, wine and service.
Since Brexit, we are facing a challenge due to the shortage in visas. We of course hire locally but think it's very important to have diversity, a multiplicity of people working together. That's what makes the difference. The soul of a restaurant.
Interviewer: Does this also influence your supply chain?
Alain Ducasse
It didn't change the supply chain because we are sourcing 95% of what we cook in the UK.
Interviewer: That’s an interesting sustainable practice. How do you think hospitality needs to change to accommodate sustainability?
Alain Ducasse
We do not have the ambition to change the world. We start by playing our part, our role, at our level. I believe I can make a change by changing the way we cook. What I am very proud of is creating more recipes using more cereals, more vegetables, more fruit, less animal proteins. By doing so we show it's possible to change the way we've been eating for years and years and become more sustainable in the end. So, the more we do that in our restaurants, the more we do that in our schools, the more we spread the words and hopefully encourage all other chefs to do the same thing. When you eat, you need to be conscious of what you eat. Eating is an act of citizenship. You then cannot say I did not know (what I ate). So, we are doing what we think is right at our level, with our means, rather than waiting for big actions. And then since we have Ducasse cooking schools also in several campuses over the world, it multiplies.
Interviewer: Would this also be the advice that you would give to owners of hospitality businesses? Starting at your level?
Alain Ducasse
Of course, do something in terms of food that is precise, easy, good, taking those principles of sustainability into account first. So, for example on the menu I create for Air France La Première at Charles de Gaulle, you will always find options with vegetables, cereals and not only savory beef or beautiful poultry. It was unthinkable 10 years ago. I do not say :”Do not eat meat”, I say, “Do eat less meat and of better quality. Be more conscious.“
Interviewer: Can you tell me a little bit about how you are integrating aspects of the circular economy in your restaurant and businesses?
Alain Ducasse
It's a natural thing. We only source what we need. Whenever we are opening a new restaurant, we first look at what is available around, and then based on what we have, we create the recipe with what we know how to do. 90% of the creative time is being spent on sourcing the local produce, before opening a restaurant, before doing a menu. And then we go and meet the suppliers, go and speak to the fishmongers, et cetera, et cetera. We only buy what we need, and we use the totality of the produce. For example, we use the whole vegetable: the roots, leaves, stems. Everything.
Interviewer: You have a lot of great customers- a lot of demanding customers that come through your door. How do you make them understand how important it's to change menus in a way that furthers sustainability?
Alain Ducasse:
It's a question of guidance. Teaching them, giving them options. Alternatives to the sweet and salty tastes, step by step. We can only make a change by creating innovative recipes incorporating more vegetable, cereals, different tastes, and propose them, show them on our menus and communicate a lot about them. That way you entice your customer to try it. Like for example, just right now, this vegetable dish from Air France La Première lounge at Charles De Gaulle. It became really popular among our customers. But if it's not on the menu, no one is going to ask for it because it's a little bit different than what you think you could eat in the airport. Creating the trend rather thank following it. That is how we see our job.
Interviewer: Karen Jensen, Resilience CouncilInterview took place on 27 Feb 2025, Grimaldi Forum, Monte Carlo 
Team at the Louis XV, Alain Ducasse in the centre - (c) Matteo Carassale
Ducasse at The Dorchester
The artichoke - (c) Matteo Carassale
Scorsonera, dogwood berries, walnuts, garum, bitter herbs, mushroom shoyu - (c) Matteo Carassale