France's top chefs were waiting nervously by their stoves ahead of the publication of the renowned Michelin guide and the coveted award of new stars.
There were 609 Michelin-starred restaurants in France in this year's edition, one fewer than last year in the self-styled home of gastronomy.
Yannick Alleno, the new chef at the Ledoyen in central Paris, was crowned with three stars.
Alleno, 46, who already won three stars in 2007 for his work at Le Meurice in Paris, was cited for his skill with sauces.
He has perfected an "extraction" technique for sauces, resulting in an ultra-pure jus with an intense flavour.
"We found a Yannick Alleno at the top of his game," said Ellis.
"The techniques have been mastered in an extraordinary fashion. The concentration and explosion of flavour are quite simply remarkable," he added.
He singled out for special praise a souffle of smoked eel with a watercress reduction and a brioche of pike with celery extract.
The restaurant Pavillon Ledoyen in central Paris now has three Michelin stars. Photo: AFP
Restaurant La Bouitte, in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville in eastern France, joined the exclusive three-star list on Monday thanks to the work of father and son chef team René and Maxime Meilleur.
Les 2 nouveaux #3étoiles du guide MICHELIN 2015 : Ledoyen (Paris) et La Bouitte (Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, 73) ! pic.twitter.com/rn2DqZju19
— Le guide MICHELIN (@guideMichelinFR) February 2, 2015
(The official Michelin Twitter account announces the chefs behind the new three-star eateries.)
Rene, 64, and Maxime, 39, were awarded the industry's top prize for their "extraordinary" skills with fish, said Michael Ellis, director of international guides for Michelin.
The food Bible hailed the Alpine chalet restaurant, located at an altitude of 2,500 metres, as "generous, authentic and full of emotion."
The fishy delights on the menu include trout, scallops and crawfish, while meat eaters can tuck into frogs' legs with black garlic and watercress, duck foie gras escalope, sweetbreads and venison.
But such three-star cuisine does not come cheap. A three-course "surprise" menu will set you back €115 euros ($130), while an eight-course banquet weighs in at €225.
The criterion for winning three stars is that the restaurant must serve up "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey."
France has 27 three-star restaurants, nine of which are in the capital. The three previous editions of the guide crowned one new three-starred chef each and none in 2011.
Last year, the most coveted accolade in gastronomy went to Arnaud Lallement, of the family-run L'Assiette Champenoise near Reims in northeastern France.
The new guide will be unveiled at the French foreign ministry, which is determined to maintain the country's reputation as the top destination for foodies.
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A full list of Paris's three-star Michelin restaurants
Pierre Gagnaire – 8th
Epicure au Bristol – 8th
Le Pré Catelan – 16th
Guy Savoy – 17th
Ledoyen – 8th
L'Ambroisie – 4th
Le Meurice Alain Ducasse – 1st
Astrance – 16th
Arpège – 7th
Epicure au Bristol – 8th
Le Pré Catelan – 16th
Guy Savoy – 17th
Ledoyen – 8th
L'Ambroisie – 4th
Le Meurice Alain Ducasse – 1st
Astrance – 16th
Arpège – 7th
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