In 1995, a 29-year-old Ripert received a four-star rating from the New York Times. Ten years later the paper again awarded him four stars, making Le Bernardin the only restaurant to maintain superior status for this length of time. Ripert is not shy to pair fish with meat, as in his Wagyu Beef and Langoustine Tartare or the decadent langoustine salad with foie gras. Ripert says: “The decision to use meat flow with the seasons. If we decide that a dish needs a meat component, such as the foie gras in the decadent langoustine salad, we use it.”
