Champagne and caviar and oysters, oh my! I enjoyed some of the best in French hospitality during a magical evening in the newly opened Orangerie of Château de Courcelles !
This luxury 4* hotel recently completed construction of its new event space. Perfect for weddings, reunions, and business events, this 350-person space offers beautiful view of the Château and its grounds thanks to large window all around. You might recall the cooking class that I was invited to at this sumptuous Château earlier this year — guests of the Orangerie can also profit from the skills of Chef Vannier and his talented team.
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to “taste” this exquisite addition through an invitation to their inauguration event. The event included French culinary favourites from the kitchen team, champagne, caviar, farm-fresh cheese, and fantastic entertainment.
Upon entering, we were offered a welcome coupe of local Champagne Aspasie. I had actually arrived at the same time as the producer, M. Paul-Vincent Ariston, and we had a lovely chat about champagne-making and how the weather in recent years is affecting the yields. With glass in hand, we walked up a light-lined path to the Orangerie.
While it was too dark outside to fully appreciate the exterior, I can talk about the interior. It is spacious and well thought-out with plenty of room for seating, catering tables, bars, a stage, a photobooth, and a dance floor. The room appeared to be customizable in terms of audiovisual needs, seating, etc.
In terms of food, the presentation was dynamic, with wait staff passing hors d’oeuvres to guests. Chef tables were set up to freshly prepare dishes for guests too. This included a limitless oyster bar, truffled œufs parfaits, and charcuterie.
One of my favourite parts of the experience was being able to have conversations with the chefs. One chef proudly showed me his work, an exquisite pâté en croûte with pistaches (delicious). The baker explained his breads to me. I tried his boule de pain à la Châtaigne (chestnut loaf), which has a hint of vanilla is typically served with the restaurant’s game menu (it was incredible). I also indulged in a buttery pain feuilleté olive which was also delicious.
Did you know that the proper way to eat caviar is off your hand? The caviar table was more than for tasting. A representative from Kaviari explained how to fully appreciate this delicacy. We also discussed caviar from different fish species and how the fish were raised. It was very insightful!
It was also fantastic watching Chefs prepare food “live”. This included the kitchen’s signature Vollaille de L’Ourcq laquée & chips d’oignon sur son pain brun toasté. This table was next to the fantastic dessert table. On it was millefeuille (my favourite dessert), Paris-Brest, and an impressively large silver bowl of chocolate mousse.
Another highlight was the magnificent cheese display. In partnership with my favourite fromageire, La Cave aux Fromages, the display featured a selection available on the restaurant’s Chariot de Fromages. The cheeses included Valencay Fermier, Selles sur Cher Fermier, Mothais sur feuille Fermier (my personal go-to from that store!), Buchette de Georgelet, Comté fort Saint Antoine 16M, Brie aux Mendiants, Tête de Moine (another favourite that I only have on special occasions), and Tomette Brebis d’Agour. I was in heaven here!
Just when I thought the evening couldn’t get any more magical, we were surprised with a phenomenal fireworks display over the Château’s grounds. It was the perfect way to end a perfect evening.
Château des Courcelles is a beautiful place to escape the city or to enjoy a delicious meal. Now, with their new Orangerie, it is also the perfect place for large events like weddings or work functions. After what I experienced, I can vouch for their high caliber food and their professional service. They know how to add sparkle to any event!