Maison Blanche Longboat Key Classic French Cuisine in Sarasota, FL!

Maison Blanche Longboat Key’s elegant home to outstanding contemporary French cuisine by critically-acclaimed Master Chef-Owner Jose Martinez features some of the best cuisine on Florida’s Gulf Coast!

Chef Martinez’s experience resides with the outstanding chefs and restaurants he trained in. Chef Martinez began his culinary career by seizing an opportunity to apprentice with the legendary French chef and restaurateur, Joël Robuchon at Restaurant Jamin in Paris. Chef Martinez continued his career working at Lucas Carlton, in Paris with Alain Senderens, a founder of New French cuisine; and then with Chef Michel Guerard at Eugénie les Bains, which earned three Michelin stars. Chef Martinez was awarded his own Michelin star for Maison Blanche, Paris. In 2010, after opening his restaurant on Longboat Key, Chef Martinez was a James Beard semifinalists for Best Chef South. Martinez’s vision is: “Satisfaction. Every meal must satisfy or it is a failure.”

At Maison Blanche, the experience is personal. Chef Martinez feels that a dining experience should restore, entertain, fulfill, and when executed properly, create memories. Martinez strives for perfect balance in foods and flavor, featuring seasonally sustainable menus in a comfortable, elegant atmosphere. Martinez states: “There is no alternative to excellence” and “Capturing excellence in a dining experience begins and ends with the food. I have great respect for the production of food and the privilege bestowed on me being able to use it and apply my talent and focus on creating the most excellent product possible.”

When explaining the origin of his type of restaurant, Chef Martinez explains, “The Romans most likely organized the first restaurant setting with a schedule of food in their Thermopolium, but the French created what we know as the Restaurant and the Menu. Restaurer, is the French word meaning to restore.” Great meals can nourish and restore the soul.

Maison Blanche features the most local, fresh, nourishing seasonal and suitable ingredients, utilizing long-time suppliers with whom Chef Martinez has excellent relations with, and also drawing from present generation producers and local artisanal growers who are committed to supplying for a Locavore philosophy.

The restaurant features several dining options. The Chef’s Table is an exclusive menu matched with impeccable wines, served by the award winning chef himself. The Chef’s Table is located at the head of Maison Blanche’s dining room and is available for bookings of 6, 8 or 10 people.

Features on a recent menu included: Tart of cherry tomato confit and basil, Stuffed ravioli with foie gras sauce, Maine lobster risotto and bisque sauce, and Green asparagus soup as first course selections.

Entrees included a choice of: Roasted Mediterranean Sea Bass with baby spinach and and meuniere sauce, Red Snapper, oven-baked with crushed potatoes and lemon, Short Ribs Braised for many hours, served with potato puree, and Simply roasted Prime Ribeye with, bearnaise or pepper Sauce.

The popular Prix Fixe, at $65 per person featured favorites like Foie Gras, Seared wild shrimp, with semi dried tomato and aromatic vinaigrette as starters, and entrees like Swordfish, crusted with black pepper and sesame seeds, soy sauce and seasonal vegetables, Oriental style Black Grouper, served with carrot and asparagus, Fettuccine, wild shrimp and maine lobster, Prime Filet Mignon, Roasted Suckling Pig, and Duck Confit.