French chef and "Game Changer" Jean-François Piège talks with us in Paris about the Piaget Polo S.
Following the star-studded launch of the Piaget Polo S in Brooklyn on July 14th (see our report by US Editor Roberta Naas here) the haute watchmaking brand from Geneva and La Côte-aux-Fées continues to reach out to the “generation of Game Changers” around the world.
In Paris, the cosy first floor of the flagship boutique at 7 rue de la Paix, redecorated into a very private gentlemen’s club until November 15th, welcomes aesthetes with a glass of champagne to discover the 5 timepieces of Piaget’s new (and only) steel collection in a relaxed environment. In total immersion, guests can follow the ball of a specially created virtual reality polo match, and enjoy an exclusive “délice” by French Chef Jean-François Piège, who has transformed his famous chocolate sphere into a polo ball to mark the occasion.
Invited by France Brand Manager Olivier Perruchot for the inauguration of the ephemeral lounge on September 15th, Chef Piège, known for his creative cuisine, a mediatized career and his own restaurant rewarded with two Michelin Stars, and best-seller Swiss novelist Joël Dicker, translated into 30 languages and published in over 45 countries, are two of the total nine “Game Changer” Piaget Polo S ambassadors. Haute Time had some private time with the renowned chef, expecting him to talk about precision timing, efficiency and the pursuit of excellence. But Jean-François Piège is a “game changer” and we discovered that his favourite word is “pleasure”.
In what way are you a “Game Changer”?
“I change the rules to provoke emotion. I wanted to be a gardener when I was young; I loved to work with the earth, and started to think of cuisine in terms of the individual ingredients, of how I could create pleasure for others by combining the ingredients in original ways.”
Did you know Piaget before becoming an ambassador?
“I first discovered watches when going window-shopping. I found Piaget watches to be “oeuvres” – works of art.”
What values do you share with Piaget?
“When visiting their manufactures, I saw people who took pleasure in what they do, to create watches that will give pleasure to others. This is how I feel about my cuisine. We also share a generosity of quality – there is no compromise possible on quality.”
What do you like most about your Piaget Polo S?
“I do not belong to a collector’s circle, but I do have other watches. For me, the best watch is the one I can’t feel. Unfortunately, some other watches have left a trace on my hand (he shows me) from their crown. The watch has to be so comfortable I forget I am wearing it. Visually, it has to give me pleasure.”
Do you wear your watch in the kitchen?
“No, we take off our watches for safety reasons. But I place it upright in front of me so I can see it.”
What is your relationship with time?
“I am learning that I have to preserve myself to have some free time. When something is pleasurable, we can always find the time.”
You have 2 restaurants in Paris: “Le Grand Restaurant” with 2 stars in the Michelin Guide, and “Clover” a more personal, cosy restaurant with an open kitchen. Did you aim for this success?
“No, and again, I take pleasure in what I do – it is a passion. In fact, I am opening the smaller “Clover Shop” and the “Grill” in the next few weeks. There was no method that I applied. I did not imagine that I would have my own restaurants. And I did not imagine I would one day wear a Piaget watch!”
Two new Piaget movements were created for this collection that consists of the automatic Piaget Polo S with 3 hands and date on blue, silvered or slate grey dial, equipped with calibre 1110P, and the Piaget Polo S Chronograph with date, on a silvered or blue dial, equipped with calibre 1160P. 42mm round case with cushion-shaped dial.
Priced at EUR10 900 for the Automatic, and EUR14 500 for the Chronograph.
