Perhaps being a ‘francesado’ in Cádiz at the beginning of the 19th century was not very well regarded. War of Independence through, the province of Cádiz was the last bastion of Spanishness before the French invasion.
Fortunately, two centuries later, things are less bloody and tastier. So much so that, as is logical, a large part of the world’s chefs embraced the precepts of French cuisine, the true promoters of this gastronomic revolution.
Of them, in Cádiz we find one of the best examples: the Michelin star Juan Luis “Juanlu” Fernandez, that since its Lu: cocina y alma —in Jerez de la Frontera— has been able to mix as few the essence of Andalusian cuisine and his pantry with French techniques.
Fernández has also given another twist to this twist, making it lighter and cooler, with one of the most amazing restaurants that one can find inside a hotel in Spain: Chez Lumiere, located on a magnificent and bright terrace within the five-star hotel Royal Hideaway Sancti Petriin Chiclana de la Frontera and almost overturned on the beach of La Barrosa, and to which he advises gastronomically.
It is not a typical hotel restaurant
Restaurants in Spanish hotels have been changing for many years and, moreover, becoming a guarantee for many chefs. Chez Lumière is one more example, which we can even see in other restaurants in the Sancti Petri area itself such as Alevante (one Michelin star and run by Ángel León) or Cataria, the Cadiz ‘branch’ of the Gipuzkoan steakhouse Elkano.
However, Chez Lumière does not pretend to be the ‘little’ brother of Lu: cuisine and soul, but rather has its own entity that, as its name indicates, makes light one of its values of being. Under the architecture of the Mexican Jean Porsche, the restaurant seeks to capture the soul of one brasserie French but soaked in the Andalusian luminosity.
The Chez Lumière space speaks with a French accent, but it is purely from Cádiz. Colour, light, decoration… The whites and blues multiply while the wood and the tile welcome and reflect each ray, the same ones that dot the terrace, dotted with palm trees and also pregnant with that light power of Cádiz.
With these wickerwork, Chez Lumière reinforces a playful and carefree gastronomic commitment that does not believe in the corsets of extreme French refinement. To enjoy and extend meals and after-dinners, the restaurant is an open door of Andalusianism and the product to the Gallic touches.
France, but without passing
Chez Lumière is not a French restaurant, but a kitchen with points of Frenchization that combine the freshness of Andalusia with techniques more typical of haute cuisine. However, what is in charge at Chez Lumière is the product and, above all, this informal character of the Andalusian cuisine and pecking.
For this reason, the letter lends itself to sharing with ease in hot and cold entreesin addition to certain items intended to be eaten with your hands that, in general, are purely Andalusian and where, luckily, there is no shortage of croquettes.
The gypsy cabbage pringá sandwich, the almadraba red tuna muffin, the version of the squid sandwich or the white prawn from Huelva with mazamorra are examples of this much southern part of a card that, however, also faces north. As the dishes warm up, the cuisine at Chez Lumière begins to be more classic, as is the case with the pea soup with foie gras or the lamb sweetbreads in black butter, which coexist with local meats such as the Iberian pork chop from Chestnut.
However, France is still very clean in the way of understanding oneself from the kitchen of Juanlu Fernández. There are sauces, but not heaviness or excess butter, but finesse. Something that is reflected in the profile of fish such as hake with cured egg yolk, champagne sea bass or the very fresh cold-smoked sea bass with yellow tomato gazpacho.
The beach, a stone’s throw away
The great slogan of May 68 was the mythical Sous les pavés, la plage!, which we can translate as Under the cobblestones, there is a beach. The good thing about Chez Lumière is that it is not necessary to travel back in time or pull stones out of the ground because the Royal Hideaway Sancti Petri where it is included stretches to the beach of La Barrosa.
Two hotel nights for two people at Royal Hideaway Sancti Petri (*****)
Obviously, Chez Lumière is not a beach bar, but it is an open, bright and clean terrace —with particular hours— that offers a dinner service of many carats and that will surprise those staying in the area. When it comes to drinking, Cádiz commands, followed by Andalusia, but there are also French wines and a lot of champagnewhich open the door to enjoy the terrace at practically any time.
What to ask for: Chez Lumière’s menu easily lends itself to trying small bites, which is our recommendation, and sharing several dishes. Essential is the lobster roll, the cabbage sandwich or the smoked sea bass. As for main courses, the sea bass in champagne or the sweetbreads in butter are essential. PS: leave room for dessert.
Practical data
Where: Chez Lumière restaurant, inside the Royal Hideaway Sancti Petri.
Half price: 70 euros
Bookings: 956 24 27 90.
Schedules: Dinner only Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Images | Manolo Yllera
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