Savoy at the Rendezvous

Wearing a cap with “Mem” on the front, the man in the gray mustache and beard stood out as he walked to his table at the Rendezvous. And it wasn’t just the cap. He had a distinguished air about him.

It was celebrated chef Guy Savoy of Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris, Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and four other restaurants in Paris, including Le Chiberta, which earned its first Michelin star after only six months of operation.A three-star Michelin guide chef, Savoy is a former recipient of the Legion d’ Honneur, France’s highest honor. His cookbooks include “Guy Savoy: Simple French Recipes for the Home Cook.”

This weekend, Savoy will be the featured chef at the Memphis Food & Wine Festival, which will be held Oct. 14 at Memphis Botanic Garden. He leads the roster of 13 out-of-town guest chefs and 20 local chefs who will prepare dishes that will be served by vintners and certified sommeliers.

Calvin Bell, who was named No. 1 server in Memphis Flyer’s recent Best of Memphis, was Savoy’s server Oct. 12 at the Rendezvous.

John Vergos, a Rendezvous owner, said, “He ate an array. He ate lamb ribs, pork ribs, brisket and the Rendezvous special – cheese, sausage, salami, pickles and peppers. He was very nice.”

Vergos heard Savoy say he loved the slaw, which is made from a 100-year-old recipe, and the lamb ribs, but he didn’t linger at the table. “I didn’t hover,” He said.