Dorchester Collection's Le Meurice, the first palace hotel in Paris, has invited Alain Ducasse to take over the management of its kitchens. Further enhancing this Parisian landmark, Ducasse will bring his innovative vision, ethos and distinctive take on contemporary French haute cuisine.

From September, Ducasse will lead the team at the hotel's gastronomic restaurant, one of the most beautiful rooms in Paris with its 18th century style revisited by Philippe Starck in 2007, and will also oversee le Dalí restaurant where the spirit of the infamous surrealist continues to reign supreme.

Ducasse commented, "I am honoured that Franka Holtmann, general manager of Le Meurice, with the support of François Delahaye, chief operating officer of Dorchester Collection, has asked me to come and join Le Meurice. French cuisine has a major place, role and impact in the world today. I am pleased to contribute to its success in two of the finest locations in Paris: Hotel Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice."

Alain Ducasse has over 25 years of experience and has designed the menus of many prestigious establishments worldwide, from Monaco and New York to Tokyo and Doha. At Le Meurice, he will offer impeccably prepared cuisine, exemplifying his philosophy of focusing on the very essence of the product whilst continually seeking both simplicity and generosity.

His impact at Dorchester Collection, with three-star restaurants at Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris and The Dorchester in London, is a key factor in his arrival at Le Meurice. Ducasse comments, "In view of the closure of Hotel Plaza Athénée in order to expand the property, I have the marvellous opportunity to continue offering contemporary French cuisine at Le Meurice. My philosophy still remains the same: gastronomy that concentrates on the essential with taste at its forefront."

His world-renowned expertise is not only conveyed through his talent, but also his excellence in sharing knowledge: as a trainer and mentor, Alain Ducasse is now taking up the challenge of a new three-star restaurant.

Christopher Cowdray, chief executive officer of Dorchester Collection, commented: "Dorchester Collection seeks to align itself with the very finest and most prestigious global partners. Given the long-standing success of Alain Ducasse at two of our hotels, selecting him to oversee the culinary operations of Le Meurice was a natural choice to ensure its gastronomic reputation not only in Paris but worldwide."

Notes to editors:

Dorchester Collection

Dorchester Collection is a portfolio of the world's foremost luxury hotels in Europe and the USA, each of which reflects the distinctive culture of its destination. By applying its unrivalled experience and capability in owning and operating some of the greatest individual hotels, the company's mission is to develop an impeccable group of the finest landmark hotels through acquisition as well as management of wholly-owned and part-owned hotels, and to enter into management agreements.

The current portfolio includes the following hotels (in order of them joining the group): The Dorchester, London; The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills; Le Meurice, Paris; Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris; Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan; Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles; Coworth Park, Ascot, UK; 45 Park Lane, London; and Le Richemond, Geneva.

dorchestercollection.com

For further information on Dorchester Collection please contact:

Olivia Johnson or Victoria Henson at Peretti Communications

Telephone: 020 7244 1930

Email: olivia.j@peretti.com or victoria.h@peretti.com