On a sweltering August afternoon in Menton, the streets of the French Riviera town are filled with visitors navigating the narrow paths between Cape Martin and the Italian border. They carry melting ice cream cones and sip limoncello made from the region’s famous protected lemons, a citrus variety prized for its sweetness. While the town has long been a summer retreat, its modern identity is increasingly inseparable from Mirazur, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant led by Chef Mauro Colagreco that has spent the last 20 years reshaping the local landscape.
Menton’s history as a resort is storied, reaching back to the 19th and early 20th centuries when it hosted European aristocrats in Belle Époque hotels. However, the town’s prominence fluctuated through the World Wars and faced a significant downturn following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. International travel plummeted, particularly among American tourists who were central to the town’s economy. The modern, octagonal building that now houses Mirazur sat empty for more than three years during this period, after a previous bistro venture failed to survive the travel slump.
The trajectory of the town changed in 2005 when Colagreco, then a 28-year-old chef from Buenos Aires with no bank credit and limited funds, was introduced to the building’s owner, British businessman Michael Likierman. Despite having worked in Paris under culinary luminaries like Alain Ducasse, Guy Martin, and Alain Passard, Colagreco viewed opening his own restaurant as a distant dream. Likierman took a chance on the young chef, leasing him the vacant space in October 2005. Mirazur opened its doors on April 1, 2006.
The ascent was rapid. Mirazur earned its first Michelin star just nine months after opening. By 2009, Colagreco became the first non-French chef to be named Chef of the Year by Gault & Millau. The restaurant secured a second Michelin star in 2012, a milestone Colagreco identifies as the point when Mirazur became a true “destination restaurant,” attracting diners who would fly internationally specifically for the meal. In 2019, Mirazur reached the pinnacle of the industry, earning a third Michelin star and the No. 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Beyond accolades, Colagreco has leveraged his platform to champion environmental standards. In 2020, Mirazur became the first restaurant globally to receive plastic-free certification. Two years later, UNESCO named Colagreco a Goodwill Ambassador for biodiversity, recognizing his commitment to regenerative gardening and sustainable operations. The restaurant is supported by 12 acres of vegetable gardens that provide the majority of its herbs and vegetables. This focus on the land led to the development of the “Universe Menu,” a rotating dining experience based on the biodynamic calendar. The menu shifts between four themes—roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits—depending on which part of the plant is considered most energized by the position of the moon and constellations.
The technical execution of this vision is managed by a team of approximately 90 employees, including a dedicated research and development kitchen led by chef Paloma Boitier. During peak seasons, the kitchen may simultaneously run the Universe Menu alongside specialized seasonal offerings, such as a tomato-focused menu. Filippo Ventura, Mirazur’s chef de cuisine, notes that the restaurant functions as a crossroads of cultures, reflecting Colagreco’s Argentinian and Italian heritage and its physical location on the border of France and Italy. Ingredients not grown on-site are sourced from local markets in Menton and the neighboring Italian town of Ventimiglia.
Colagreco’s influence has expanded into a local business ecosystem. He operates the Argentinian grill Casa Fuego, the pizzeria La Pecora Negra, and the bakery Mitron within Menton. Local producers, such as Adrien Gannac of Maison Gannac and Karim Djekhar of Huilerie Saint-Michel, credit the chef with elevating the town’s reputation. Djekhar, who has collaborated with Colagreco for two decades, produces specialized olive oils for the restaurant, including varieties flavored with elderflower and Menton lemon.
As Colagreco approaches his 50th birthday this October, the evolution of his brand continues. Next year, Mirazur is scheduled to open 11 sea-view hotel suites overlooking its gardens, allowing guests to extend their experience beyond a single meal. While Colagreco now manages international outposts in London and Tokyo, he maintains a constant presence in the Menton kitchen to mentor the next generation of chefs. For the residents and business owners of Menton, the restaurant has transformed the town from a seasonal holiday spot into a year-round fixture on the global culinary map.
