Marius Monaco opens its doors

Marius is a new opportunity for Monaco to discover a simple, authentic and sustainable approach to food: tasty, generous and accessible with the freshest, high quality ingredients from local producers.

After 22 years at the head of the Relais des Moines in the Var, it was time for the Michelin- starred chef Sébastien Sanjou (2 Michelin stars, one for the Relais, and one for Maison Villeroy in Paris) to take up the challenge of Monaco. So when Marc Dussoullier of the iconic restaurant the Plongeoir in Nice and Didier Rubiolo, founder of the legendary Stars’N’Bars, called him to offer him an establishment on the port of Monaco, his answer was an immediate “YES” and Marius Monaco was born! Sébastien has always dreamed of Monaco as the epicenter of all cuisines of the world with the most cutting-edge culinary concepts of the moment.

For this new restaurant on the port his dream is simple. Benefiting from more than two decades of experience with regional cuisine, he wants Marius to showcase Provence at its richest and simplest. In addition, Sébastien is a “bon vivant’ who loves big “family-style” feasts where everyone shares a multitude of dishes and flavors of the South of France.

In addition to being one of Marcel Pagnol’s heroes (resident in Monaco in the 1950s), Marius comes from the Latin “mare” which means “sea”. Marius is in essence an ode to the Mediterranean and its Provençal traditions. Marius is also an engaging story of collaboration, the meeting between three men: Didier Rubiolo, founding president of the former Stars’n’Bars, Marc Dussoullier, now managing director and Sébastien Sanjou, chef restaurateur étoillé.

In the kitchen at Marius,

“It’s all about Provence, purple artichokes à la Barigoule, octopus stew, fresh langoustines, Piedmont beef fillet, sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, frozen lemon desserts with basil.”

The illustrious chets of this region are not forgotten. Sébastien has created a Niçoise salad in homage to the great Jacques Maximin. Other local dishes to share include “aïoli as we love it in Provence” and shoulder of lamb from the Haut Var, confit with thyme and garlic. Neither has Sébastien forgotten his roots in SouthWest France and everything is planned with a sense of fun, sharing and generosity. With his local knowledge, Sébastien uses the best craftsmen in the region: fish from legendary fishermen Olivier Bardoux and Éric Rinaldi, market gardeners from Provence, lamb from Haut Var, local sea bass, Mediterranean langoustines. Nothing is left to chance.

Precision reigns as the precious product from the right craftsmen is orchestrated to bring out the quintessential flavors of the region. Marius is a place where we come to share the tastes and aromas of Provence (with a few nods to the South West so dear to the chef.) And to complement his dishes, the wine list is rich with a selection of more than 400 references, wines at all prices and from all regions…choices to please everyone.