Philippe Ruiz, a native of Switzerland, joined the Biltmore in July 1999 as Chef de Cuisine of its signature restaurant Palme d'Or, where he has received the highest accolades for his ingenious interpretation of French nouvelle cuisine.
Ruiz’s position at the helm of Palme d'Or has elevated the restaurant’s ratings to the highest echelon of South Florida’s dining scene. The Miami Herald, which has twice rated Palme d’Or as “exceptional”, describes Ruiz’s fare as “sublime-distinctive, creative in its unique way of being classic and modern all at once.”
10 questions with the chef
Where were you born?
Geneva, Switzerland, very near the French border.
Did you always know you wanted to be a chef?
At first I wanted to be a baker. During high school I spent 3 weeks as a baker’s apprentice and realized very quickly that it wasn’t for me. The following summer, I worked at an auberge that was owned by a friend of my parents. The restaurant served very classic French food and I enjoyed how assorted the work was. No two days were alike.
What was your first kitchen job?
I was a prep cook at Chateau Divonne (a 2 Michelin star restaurant located in Divonne les Bains in the Rhone Alps, France).
Who do you consider to be your most influential culinary mentor/teacher?
Guy Martin – the executive chef at Chateau Divonne.
What is the oddest ingredient or meal you have ever had?
Nothing really surprises me. The French tend to eat everything. But I was once offered a thousand year old egg (the Chinese delicacy). I didn’t even get close to it.
Have you ever cooked for someone famous?
Here at the Biltmore I have cooked for President Bill Clinton and the King of Spain. Usually, they have the food sent up to their rooms but President Clinton has had dinner in the Palme D’Or dining room.
Do you cook at home? What do you have in your refrigerator?
I don’t cook at home much. I taught my wife a few things and now she does the cooking. Its usually simple things like grilled meats and pasta.
Any memorable kitchen disasters?
I once had a visiting chef cooking in my kitchen. He was preparing an appetizer for 300 guests and was plating them himself. Somehow he miscalculated the amount of scallops he was serving and we were short about 100 plates. More than half the plates had been sent out so we had to make something happen fast! I ran to the banquet freezer and took some frozen scallops that I then deep-fried (no time for defrosting!). We got it done but at the end, the chef punched his assistant.
Speaking of disasters…what beverage or cocktail do you like to unwind with?
A cosmopolitan.
For now, what is your favorite dish on your menu?
The Braised Short Ribs with Faro Risotto and White Mushrooms.
Chef Philippe Ruiz is the Executive Chef of Palme d'Or Restaurant at the Biltmore Hotel.
For reservations at Palme d'Or Restaurant at the Biltmore Hotel call (305) 913-3201.
Palme d'Or is a participating restaurant during Miami Spice in August and September.
See the Miami Spice Menu here.
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