In April 2024, La Grenouillère, a restaurant with two Michelin stars, will take up residence in a former car garage in Paris's 8th arrondissement for a week of extraordinary service, transforming the disused space by bringing in its furniture, staff, and expertise. Much more than a move due to flooding at the original location, this event is, in keeping with the restaurant's history, an opportunity to offer a vision of cuisine as a whole: spatial, sensory, gustatory, and a total experience. The haute cuisine offered during this week was highlighted by Julien Gosselin, now director of the Théâtre de l'Odéon, one of the most prestigious theaters in Paris. Guests had to walk through the different levels of the garage, surrounded by colorful and soundscapes, to reach the restaurant located on the upper floors.

The book, born out of this successful experience, aims to capture this moment without simply being a happy memory. More than a summary, it is an unexpected object that lives up to the event it describes. A gateway to the world of the restaurant, Hors les murs also carries an intellectual and artistic message, conveying emotions, reflections, and desires.
How can cuisine be thought of in symbiosis with an artistic form? How do the two disciplines respond to or influence each other? The dishes, like the journey to the plate, invite you to enjoy a unique experience.

A hybrid between cookbook and theater program, the book features photographs of this outdoor event, as well as recipes from the chef, plans, and drawings. Two short texts by Alexandre Gauthier and Julien Gosselin, along with a lengthy interview between the two men, detail this creative experience. Finally, the book is rounded off with an essay by Ryoko Sekiguchi exploring the connections between the two disciplines, and a text by Emmanuel Rubin examining the concept of “restaurant-making” in haute cuisine.