Last Saturday, the joie de vivre of the French Riviera came to Montauk; three iconic French brands, Le Jardinier, Whispering Angel and Chateau D’Esclans, hosted an outdoor celebration of fine dining and wine. “A day in St. Tropez” Guests enjoyed Michelin-starred chef Andrew Ayala’s culinary offerings with their toes in the sand and sampled a variety of exquisite wine pairings. Le Jardinier is part of the Bastion Collection, which features 13 restaurant concepts worldwide, but last weekend’s experience was definitely the beachiest setting for his famous cuisine.

“Our goal was to deliver our Michelin-starred experience in a fun and relaxed outdoor setting where guests can enjoy the best of French cuisine in a beautiful and inviting atmosphere,” says Ashley Calandra, executive vice president and director of marketing at The Bastion Collection. The culinary team, led by Le Jardinier’s Executive Chef Andrew Ayala, The Bastion Collection’s Executive Pastry Chef Salvatore Martone and Le Jardinier Houston’s Executive Chef Felipe Botero, developed a menu featuring locally sourced ingredients reminiscent of both Provence and Montauk.

After taking their seats, guests were served the first course of the evening, an imaginative plate of burrata, stone fruit, basil seeds and cherry tomatoes. Even if you’ve never eaten at Le Jardinier before, this appetizer will give you a glimpse into the brand’s culinary ethos. “It’s a staple of all of our menus,” says Andrew Ayala, executive chef at Le Jardinier. “We change the dish depending on the season; fresh figs in the fall and pears or citrus in the winter, it’s all about incorporating nature’s ingredients.” Their summer version shined with orange, red and purple fruits and vegetables that celebrated the produce of the season and provided a refreshing start to an evening of gastronomy and carefully matched wines.

Since we were in Montauk, seafood was naturally on the menu, and the main course was striped bass caught just off the hamlet’s shores, served with summer squash, lemongrass and Thai basil. As a storm rolled in and lightning lit up the sky in the distance, guests enjoyed dessert – a carefully prepared strawberry blossom cake with mascarpone mousse. For pastry chef Salvatore Martone, cooking and serving outdoors overlooking the water was a welcome experience. “There’s nothing better than cooking in nature,” says Martone. “The tranquil setting added an extra layer of inspiration and joy to the dining experience, making it truly unforgettable.”

During dinner, guests sampled three wines from the estate’s portfolio of Château d’Esclans, Chateau d’Esclans 2022, Lesclans 2022 and Garrus 2022. “These wines are multi-award-winning and represent the wines that founder Sacha Lichine always wanted to make when he created this now-iconic brand,” says Melissa Crane-Baker, Brand Director of Château d’Esclans. To close out the evening, guests were treated to a sophisticated version of “pop bottles,” where illuminated Rock Angel bottles were presented and served at the table. Launching this fall, this nightlife-focused brand from Whispering Angel, aptly named Rock After Dark, will launch this fall.

As guests ate their floral-inspired dessert, raindrops began to fall, signaling a weather-related end to the evening – at least outside, as people headed inside and continued to mingle. The event brought the atmosphere, culinary delights and wines of the South of France to Montauk, a destination that also thrives on sea and sun. “A Day in St. Tropez” was a dream summer event for foodies and wine lovers to enjoy a slice of the Côte d’Azur to the east.