L'Olivier

Fine French and Southwestern dining in Santa Fe. Ranked 2014 Top 10 Best restaurant and Top 10 Dish of Santa Fe. Indulge in delectable main courses, appetizers, fine wines, beer and desert, also featured are the Oyster Bar and Small Plates on Fridays and Saturdays. Patio dining also available.

Chef Xavier Grenet was trained at L’École Française de la Gastronomie Ferrandi in Paris and at L’École Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland. Grenet has over 20 years of experience; first in France in some of the world’s best restaurants; “Laurent” on the Champs Elysées, and “Jamin” – Michelin three-star - under the leadership of Joel Robuchon. Xavier Grenet was also the head chef on award-winning movies directed by Luc Besson; “Le Grand Bleu” (1987) and “The Professional” (1993).

Xavier came to the U.S. in 1993 and joined the 3-star restaurant (New York Times) “Les Célébrités” at Hotel Nikko in New York before working his way west to the landmark restaurant “Barcelona” in San Francisco as Executive Chef where he earned high praise and attention from jaded local food critics for the explosive yet balanced flavors of his cuisine.

As an avid fan of the Southwest, Xavier arrived in Santa Fe in 2000 to transform the way one thinks about local cuisine by bringing his own French techniques to bear on classical and traditional recipes. He creates a vision of the Southwestern cuisine that is precise and clear. Christian DeBenedetti, writing in The New York Times agreed: “Xavier’s French inspired menu uses bold Southwest flavors with finesse.”

In January 2002, Xavier was awarded the recognition of his peers with an invitation to prepare a dinner in New York City at The James Beard Foundation.

LOlivier, Xavier’s first venture in restaurant ownership, was launched in 2013 with his wife Nathalie as manager.