Chef Thomas Troisgros kicks off ‘Chefs and Somms’ series at The Little Nell
The Little Nell/Tomas Rangel/Courtesy photo
In celebration of Element 47 being recognized and recommended by Michelin Guide last fall, the culinary team at The Little Nell, led by culinary director Matt Zubrod, has curated an international dining experience that launches Wednesday through Friday with acclaimed Brazilian-French chef Thomas Troisgros.
“This is a good opportunity for the community to dine at restaurants they may otherwise not have access to,” Zubrod said. “I like to partner with chefs that I respect and have become good friends with. With Troisgros specifically, I love his food and his family’s culinary history.”
And what a family legacy it is.
A fourth-generation chef, Troisgros comes from a long line of culinary masters who were pioneers of French nouvelle cuisine in the 1970s. His great-grandfather Jean-Baptiste Troisgros and his wife Marie started the family business with a restaurant in Roanne, France in 1930. The restaurant highlighted regional French cuisine and the wines of Burgundy. Their sons, Jean and Pierre, were raised in the kitchen and carried on the family business with the transition of the Hotel Moderne to Les Frères Troisgros in the 1950s. They earned their first Michelin star in 1955, a second in 1965, and a third star in 1968.
Fast forward to 1980, Thomas’ father, Claude, relocates to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, bringing his French sensibilities to Brazilian cuisine. He opened Olympe in 1984, which became one of the top restaurants in Latin America.
Thomas Troisgras received an unexpected invitation from his father Claude, to take over the 66 Bistro (where CT Boucherie is now located, in Rio de Janeiro). It didn’t take long for him to also take over the kitchen of Olympe.
In 2023 he opened two more new businesses in Rio de Janeiro: on the first floor, Toto, his affectionate nickname given by his grandfather Pierre, a contemporary restaurant that pays homage to Parisian “neo bistros.” On the second floor, he opened Oseille, which in French means sorrel, a leaf that is a classic in Troisgros cuisine. It seats 16 and hosts a dinner-only tasting menu.
Wednesday through Friday, Troisgros will take over the kitchen of Element 47 at The Little Nell with his Franco-Bazilian-inspired menu. Dishes include Shrimp Bun with Katsuobushi Mayo, Orange Gastrique Chicken Wings, Lasagna with Zucchini, Red Snapper with Tangerine Meunière, Roast Chicken, Pierre Troisgros Sauce and Basque Cheesecake.
Zubrod said another reason he chose to partner with Troisgros is that he always likes to have interesting chefs in the kitchen who can also teach his local cooks new things that will elevate their offerings at The Little Nell.
The two other chefs participating in this series are Swedish chef Hakan Thörnström on Feb. 21 -24 and chef Cédric Vongerichten on March 20-23.
Zubrod recognized that there is a demand for these types of events and noted that the plan is to host more collaborations in the future.
“As I aspire for The Little Nell to be the leader in Aspen for food and wine, I like to have something fun on the books for the team and locals to look forward to,” he said. “We almost did a Francis Mallman pop-up when he was here for a private event and my phone blew up with local interest. In the end, that opportunity didn’t pan out though we’re in talks about having him back in the near future.”
For reservations for the “Chefs and Somms” series: thelittlenell.com
Sarah Girgis is the Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Aspen Times. She can be reached at 970-429-9151 or sgirgis@aspentimes.com.
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