AM par Alexandre Mazzia 3 star Michelin restaurant Marseille

 

AM par Alexandre Mazzia restaurant in Marseille occupies a celebrated position in the elite group of restaurants around the World with 3 Michelin stars. The restaurant is located in a residential area of Marseille (Saint-Giniez), close to the stunning Orange Vélodrome stadium, home of the Olympique Marseille football team.

Mazzia was born to French parents but he spent his childhood growing up in the Republic of Congo and he speaks fondly of the inspiration he takes from his childhood surroundings and the time he spent exploring the outdoors. Initially he completed a Degree in Science, however on returning to France, he attended a hospitality and gastronomy school, Ecole Hoteliere Santos Dumont in St. Cloud, near Paris.

But cooking wasn't the career that he initially excelled in. It was natural that, standing at 1.92 metres, he became a professional basketball player and he played for the local Marseille team.  At the same time as playing professional Basketball (2001 to 2007) Alexandre Mazzia also worked at a number of celebrated Michelin starred restaurants in France and Spain, including at Michel Bras' Laguiole restaurant in Aveyron, France; Santi Santamaria's ABaC restaurant in Barcelona and Martín Berasategui's Restaurant Lasarte-Oria near Saint-Sébastian.

After injury forced him to retire from Basketball, Mazzia took up the role of Head Chef in Marseille at Le Corbusier, where he began to cook more confidently and developed his own distinct style.

 

Alexandre Mazzia, opened his restaurant in Marseille in 2014. The concept of the restaurant is that each course comprises a collection of small individual dishes, each of which conjures up the tastes, aromas and memories from his life growing up in a small coastal town in the Republic of Congo in Africa, as well as his professional journey through Spain and France. The restaurant's name is a play on the French word for soul, âme, as well as Alexandre's initials. As Mazzia explains:

 

". . . to welcome guests into my home, my restaurant, is to give them a glimpse into my soul . . ."

 

This concept extends to kitchen being open for guests to the chefs at work. Inside, the restaurant is very intimate, with just 20 covers. The décor combines bare concrete walls, with wooden parquet flooring and centuries-old Compagnons du Devoir oak counters.  

The signature dishes at AM par Alexandre Mazzia include the quirky smoked eel chocolate and the extraordinary algae popcorn. Meals at the restaurant range from €275 to €395 for lunch and €335 to €395 for evening dinners (wine and drinks on top). The menus themselves range from ten to twenty-five individual small dishes,

 

In 2023, AM par Alexandre Mazzia retained its 3 Michelin stars, first awarded in 2021. In awarding Alexandre Mazzia his coveted 3rd Michelin Star, the Michelin judges at the time described his restaurant and cooking as: 

 

" . . . transporting Diners on a culinary voyage like no other . . . evoking a culinary identity shaped by memories of a childhood spent in the Congo . . ."

 

SOURCE: 2026 Michelin Guide France

 

You will find AM by Alexandre Mazzia at 9 Rue François Rocca, 13008 Marseille, France. For reservations call +33 (0) 4 91 24 83 63 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Website: AM par Alexandre Mazzia.

Opening Times: the restaurant is open from Wednesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner

 

 

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