Overview of Relais&Châteaux

A MOVEMENT WITH MEANING

Relais & Châteaux, established in 1954, is an association of 580 unique hotels and restaurants throughout the world, owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs – most often families – who are passionate about their craft and deeply committed to forging warm, lasting relationships with their guests.

Relais & Châteaux members protect and promote the wealth and diversity of the world’s culinary and hospitality traditions, to ensure they continue to thrive. They are equally dedicated to preserving local heritage and the environment, as articulated in the association’s Vision presented to UNESCO in November 2014.

Making a better worldthrough cuisineand hospitality

In a world that is rich in its differences, people from all cultures havealways placed importance on two timeless traditions: cuisine and hospitality. Throughout history, these two traditions have contributed tohappiness, fellowship and the art of living well: or what the French call“l’Art de vivre”. It’s therefore critical to our humanity - if not mankind- that cuisine and hospitality be cherished, preserved and continuallyrevived, ensuring both can always play a role in our capacity to live welltogether.

For the past two decades, food, cooking and dining have gonethrough some significant and troubling changes. The actions of manylarge-scale food producers and dining establishments have had aprofoundly negative impact on the health of both our planet andour consumers. As a result, some chefs have embraced the styles andtrends imposed by the industry, which are, in truth, inconsistent withthe original tenets of our profession. Others have focused more on ostentatious presentation, slipping even further away from the genuinerole that cuisine can and should play in our lives.

At Relais & Châteaux, we strive to be true artisans and representativesof the restaurant and hotel trade. We see ourselves as both heirs andgatekeepers of not only the rich cultural history of hospitality aroundthe world, but also the wonderful variety of cuisines within it. As a fellowship, as a family of chefs, hoteliers and restaurateurs, we havemade a conscious choice to be true to the mission bestowed upon us:to preserve and share true culinary techniques and to eschew shortcutsthat diminish excellence. For it is through this use of authentic methodsand ingredients that we are able to truly share all that is good and beautiful in this world. For it is through these practices and beliefs that wetruly express and enrich our humanity.

This strong emotion of taste, however, does not exist on its own orspring solely from the plate. Rather, it is deeply connected to one’ssurroundings and an authentic and generous welcome into them.This fundamental realization is the foundation on which we build ourcommitment to supporting cuisine and hospitality and, through thiscommitment, making the world better for future generations.

At Relais & Châteaux, we know that others sharethese beliefs and have similar humanitariangoals, and we wish to work with them to supporta mission focused on three key areas.

To preserve the diversity ofcuisines and hospitality in this worldso that future generations can knowand share in their richness

Relais & Châteaux are stewards of our global culinary heritage. Together we work to preserve the precious nature of the earth’s bounty. Wecelebrate and pave the way for tomorrow’s cuisines through our creativity, responsibility and commitment. The men and women who cook withus are trained to apply our golden rule: to offer a cuisine that is in harmony with the geographic location of each Relais & Châteaux property andthat respects and reflects seasonal products. We have joined forces withfarmers and fishermen to protect the harvest of humanity and be guardians of the biodiversity of our planet. Above all, we protect and promotethe rich diversity of the many different cuisines and elements of hospitality throughout this world, seeing them both as somewhat intangiblebut still valuable assets of our humanity and our cultural heritage.

Share our passion for all that isgood and beautiful in this world

The Relais & Châteaux family strives to share what is beautiful, good andunique by creating moments for our guests that are not just a luxury reserved for the elite, but a treasure to be shared with anyone who cares aboutand wants to feel a part of the world around them. We cultivate and sharethis value with many different communities - small farmers and producersin our regions who are all too often isolated or ignored; hundreds of youngapprentices whom we welcome into this world and to whom we proudly

pass along our trade and the understanding and skills associated with it;and our employees, with whom we are united and from whom our ambition and passions truly shine.

To work together to create a morehumane world

Our ambition for every Relais & Châteaux property is that each experience be an inspiration for our guests, our suppliers, our staff and ourlocal partners. Together, we can craft and create a new and morehumane world: one that is more sensitive and attentive to the essential aspects of dining, warmth and welcome, which are the foundations of a more peaceful and open society. We join in this movementwith our partners who feel as we do, believing it is a cause that is worthfighting for and supporting each day. While we all have individualresponsibilities, our collective commitment is to move forward togetheron a shared, long-term venture to deploy our 20 commitments for cuisineand hospitality and to promote the “Arts de vivre” as the true 10th Art.

it is with this vision for a fairer, healthier andhappier world that the Relais & Châteaux familywill serve as a catalyst and inspiration, making thisworld better through cuisine, hospitality and ourrelentless pursuit for “l’art de vivre.”