Sipping a cocktail at the Majestic Barrière

If you dream of living the life of a star on the Croisette but are not ready to squander all your savings on a night in a Cannes palace, let yourself be tempted by an atypical experience at the Majestic Hotel. Experience the magic of Cannes with Emanuele Balestra, the head barman at the Majestic Barrière Hotel.

But who is

Emanuele Balestra

the alchemist of the Majestic Barrière?

In charge of the Majestic’s bars, Emanuele Balestra is a special kind of chef-bartender. A bit of a chemist or botanist, a bit of a beekeeper too, this mixologist with a passion for nature deploys his impressive know-how in the heart of the Palace of Cannes.

After having scoured prestigious establishments in the four corners of the world, this Italian, who attracts sympathy, put down his spoons and shakers at the Majestic in 2014.

From his travels, from Lake Maggiore to Mauritius, via Chicago and more recently Marrakech, he has brought back a host of plant-based ingredients that he grows here in Cannes, in the Majestic’s gardens, created especially for him.

Emanuele Balestra Hotel Majestic Chef Bar Portrait©fabrice Rambert Alban Couturier

Flavours from around the world

and herbs from the garden

If the magic happens as soon as you sip one of the famous “Balestra cocktails”, it is far from the bar that the story of this exceptional juice begins…

Emanuel Balestra Majestic Jardin ©fabrice Rambert Alban Couturier

In the early morning, Emanuele wanders on the roof or on the side of the Croisette, his pair of scissors in hand, to delicately pick each leaf that will come to perfume the evening nectars.

Then, behind the scenes, in his laboratory, this alchemist transforms the plants into jelly, ice cubes, bitter syrup and, more recently, into edible perfume. He dehydrates, infuses and distills to create fragrances of bergamot, marjoram, Jamaican thyme and purple Puglia basil.

As in perfumery, the plants, flowers and herbs are coaxed into the ultrasonic machine to extract the perfect essence before distillation. These edible aromas are then rippled in their exceptional bottles, before being delicately sprayed over an intuitive and creative cocktail by this Maestro of taste.

Emanuele et les abeilles

C’est tout un petit écosystème qu’Emanuele a conçu au cœur de l’hôtel 5 étoiles.

Edible plants are pampered in an insect house. It was created to safeguard the aromatic garden where verbena, sage, rhubarb, rose geranium, fennel and lemon balm grow.

On the roof, basil, lavender and rosemary perfume this open-air space. But apart from scenting the cocktails, these aromatic plants also allow the bees in the 4 hives to forage as they wish. Then, Emanuele collects the fruit of the work of these colonies, the honey, which he will then flavour with essential oils of fruits or plants such as bergamot or eucalyptus.

A respect for nature but also a quest. The quest to extract the essence of flavours to create subtle blends in the glass.

Emanuele Balestra

prolific creator

After creating cocktails with a pastry taste, delivering his recipes in a book full of anecdotes “Majestic Cocktail by Emanuele Balestra“, encapsulating the flavours, Emanuele’s latest creation is a collaboration with GIN 44° imagined and distilled in Grasse.

A white spirit that exudes the power of centifolia rose, jasmine and Mediterranean citrus notes found in his latest cocktail, developed for the Majestic’s new restaurant, Paradiso Nicole & Pierre, the Paradiso provençal. A subtle blend of Gin 44 Paradiso, Ginger Ale Fever Tree and a bergamot scent, using plants from the Majestic’s garden.

Another upcoming creation from this multi-talented artist is a white beer with a bitter orange scent.

When to come and enjoy a cocktail at the hotel?

Treat yourself to a magical break and come taste Emanuele Balestra’s signature cocktails in a modern setting.

Whether you are a hotel guest or just passing through, the Fouquet’s Gallery Bar is open to all, every day from 10am to 2am.

Comfortably curled up in a lounge chair, let yourself be bewitched by the place. Nestled in the grounds of the Hôtel Le Majestic, the address adds magic to your stay.

The Bar Galerie du Fouquet’s Cannes
10 boulevard de la Croisette
+33 (0) 4 92 98 77 98

Bar Hotel Majestic Galerie Fouquets Cannes ©fabrice Rambert

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