Ruchotte – Introduction

La Ferme de la Ruchotte is a gourmet paradise in the hills behind the city of Beaune in Burgundy. The farm is a source of much of their produce which is cooked with skill and flair.

Their vegetables are picked fresh from the garden and there are always vegetable dishes on the menu. The wine list is comprehensive and many of the wines are organic, biodynamic or natural.

You can stay at La Ruchotte but most people drive here from other places such as Beaune. The drive up into the hills is very pleasant. You can leave the busy A6 behind and pass through the verdant landscapes around Savigny-les-Beaune where the slopes are covered with vines. The D970 leads upwards to Bouze-les-Beaune and then on through rich farm land past Bessey-en-Chaume to Blingy-sur-Ouche. It is then a short distance through light pine forests and open fields to La Ruchotte.

You enter a light-filled room with a flagstone floor, paintings of hens on the walls, white lace curtains shielding the windows and mismatched tables decked with good quality linen napkins.

You will either be seated at a table on your own or at the long, shared table that dominates one side of the room.

Ruchotte – The food

This is the domain of Eva and Frédéric Ménager who have worked the farm and prepared and served the meals that people travel from afar to experience. Frédéric spent time in one of the best kitchens in Paris – Pierre Gagnaire but the food that is brought to the table contains no contrivances and no frippery – just good, flavoursome produce.

We started the meal with a small serve of perfectly seasoned gazpacho that sang of the season. Then followed Gateau de foies de vollailles with Bisque d’Ecrevisse which was a small cake of chicken livers topped with a slice of garden-fresh zucchini sitting in a pool of thick, rich, brown crayfish bisque.

Next up was a large serve of roasted pintade (guinea fowl) with a part of the carcass to gnaw on as well. The roasting juices served with the bird were absolutely brilliant!

Finally, after the ever-present cheese course in France, we were served a tasty dish comprising pistachio ice cream, a crispy gaufrette Maconnaise set at an angle over the ice cream which, in turn, sat on a slice of Pain de Gênes, the almond flour cake invented in Paris but named after Genoa in Italy. This was a very good combination of textures and flavours.

We accompanied the meal with an excellent natural wine from star winemaker Yann Durieux called Les Ponts which is a very light and low alcohol Pinot Noir from quite close to the restaurant. It was a perfect accompaniment. (Disclaimer: We import this wine to Australia and ordered it as we are currently sold out!)

We left La Ruchotte feeling very satisfied with our meal.

Note: Bookings are essential. The current price for the meal is still 50 Euros which must be paid in advance via a bank deposit.

Note that the gates open at 12:30 and guests are expected to book in to one of three arrival times.

You can read the latest about bookings, the menu and arrival times on their Website below:

La Ferme de la Ruchotte