At nineteen, chef John Williams tasted sauce périgourdine for the first time and was instantly captivated by its blend of earthy truffle, sweet Madeira and Port, and rich veal stock. “That moment has stayed with me for almost 50 years,” he says. “It defined my life and my connection to food.” Now, as executive chef at The Ritz in London, he creates his own version of the sauce, which he believes “adds depth, luxury, and a signature touch to the dish.”
The year 2025 was a landmark for the restaurant, as it earned two Michelin stars—a recognition many felt was long overdue—and claimed the top spot in The National Restaurant Awards. This success reflects a renewed appetite for classic French cuisine in the city. “Sauces are at the heart of it,” Williams notes. “In French cooking, they tie everything together and elevate the entire experience.”
A great sauce can evoke powerful memories and sensations, almost like magic. Yet, just ten years ago, sauces like albufera, zingara, and Américaine were seen as outdated—too heavy, elaborate, and time-consuming for the minimalist, ingredient-focused style that dominated modern dining. “Sauces were criticized for being heavy and weren’t considered creative,” explains Arnaud Donckele, executive chef at Plénitude in Paris, where sauces take center stage. “They were overlooked.”
The decline in elaborate sauce-making was influenced by the bistronomy movement’s simplicity, growing health awareness, and the New Nordic emphasis on pure ingredients—trends that spread well beyond Paris and Copenhagen. But the main obstacle was cost: in time, effort, and expensive ingredients.
Recently, however, tastes have shifted. Classic French cuisine has found new fans in London, Paris, and New York, and once-old-fashioned sauces are proudly featured on menus again. A new generation of chefs is rediscovering the art of sauce-making. From light emulsions and glossy sabayons to rich béarnaise and deep demi-glace, these sauces are reappearing not only in fine dining and traditional bistros but also in natural wine bars and small-plate restaurants.
At 64 Goodge Street in London, one of the city’s newer restaurants, the menu is built around the structure of sauces. A lobster vol-au-vent showcases the vibrant colors of the crustacean’s tail and claw, while a quail forestière demonstrates impressive meat-cooking skills. But what truly stands out are the sauces: the velvety, umami-sweet sauce Américane and the deeply layered sauce albufera with foie gras that linger on the palate and leave a lasting impression.
The restaurant features seven such sauces, each taking at least two days to prepare. Head Chef Stuart Andrew describes the process: chicken bones go into the oven on Tuesday night, and the sauce is developed throughout Wednesday. For the albufera, it begins with a wing stock enriched with drumsticks, shallots, and mushrooms, plus two bottles of Madeira reduced to a single glass with vinegar. To achieve its luxurious texture, caramelized foie gras is blended with cream and the chicken reduction, then finished with Chardonnay vinegar, white pepper, and salt.
Some dishes don’t use the French names for their sauces, like the brill with shellfish and Breton cider, which could easily be called sauce Normande. When the names are used, it’s to add a touch of whimsy and decadence. “It’s a nod to the past, but it also feels a bit camp,” Andrew explains. “These grand sauce names stand in stark contrast to the minimalist menus of ten years ago.”
This isn’t just a marketing tactic.In a dining culture dominated by efficiency and Instagram appeal, the revival of intricate, labor-intensive sauce-making feels almost rebellious. At Plénitude, Donckele pushes this further, viewing sauces as the “verb” of French cuisine. He builds on Yannick Alléno’s mid-2010s innovations, such as concentration and cryo-extraction—a method using extreme cold to capture and intensify flavors.
His elaborate sauces, often aged like fine wines and served tableside in carafes, take center stage rather than merely accompanying the dish. “My true passion is sauce,” he says. “It’s the art of blending, similar to grape varieties. At Plénitude, we discovered how to infuse, harmonize, and achieve a delicate balance.” They craft broths, emulsions, and sabayons, using new techniques to make their preparations even more refined. “Guests are more receptive today,” he notes, “as sauces have become lighter and subtler—even floral.”
What’s exciting about sauce-making in Paris now is its departure from the rigid rules of Larousse Gastronomique. Led by Plénitude, it’s evolving into something more fluid, expressive, and cross-cultural. For example, at Maison Sota, Japanese chef Sota Atsumi dresses a zucchini and green bean salad with sauce albufera, while Korean-born chef Jihyun Kim, set to open Ébène later this year, blends vegetable-focused cooking with saucier techniques and subtle Korean flavors, offering dishes like grilled baby gem lettuce with bone marrow Bordelaise sauce and rhubarb-apricot cheong.
Sauces are also reclaiming their place in bistros as bistronomy returns to its classic roots. “Sauces resonate deeply in the bistro setting—this is where great French preparations began and where they belong,” says Alice Newman, head chef at Cadoret. “At Cadoret, carefully crafted sauces elevate dishes and anchor the restaurant in tradition.” She starts with the foundations from Auguste Escoffier’s L’Aide-Mémoire Culinaire, then adds unexpected twists to classic sauces, like verbena-infused béarnaise and jus de viande spiced with Kampot pepper.
Not everyone embraces elaborate complexity. As the revival spreads, debates arise over the essence of a sauce. One Paris chef at Geoélia practices sauce fundamentalism, using only animal bones—no vegetables and minimal aromatics. “It’s like oak in wine,” he explains, noting that too much can overshadow the core ingredients.
While London leans classical and Paris experiments, New York embraces both approaches. Le Coucou led the way with its success in the late 2010s, followed by newer spots like Essential by Christophe and Le Veau d’Or—the latter serving old-school dishes like veal with mustard sauce.
At Daniel, intricate sauce-making remains central, with the red wine sauce that accompanied sea bass 30 years ago still appearing on the menu in updated forms. The five classic mother sauces form the restaurant’s “DNA,” inspiring variations like black garlic bordelaise, creamy sorrel sauce, and lièvre à la royale during game season. “Classic cuisine is timeless and forms the foundation of our culinary approach,” says executive chef Daniel Boulud. “It will always guide current and future chefs in expressing their creativity.”
This trend is evident at new openings like L’Abeille and Maison Passerelle, where French sauces provide a framework for individual expression. Gregory Courdiet, executive chef of Maison Passerelle, previously worked as a saucier at the classic New York-French restaurant Jean-Georges. He recalls the moment the kitchen stopped adding butter to sauces—an early realization thatTradition can be preserved while embracing modernity. The chef found that sauce serves as a way to add depth, flavor, acidity, and spice, becoming an essential component of a dish that often enhances its taste.
At Maison Passerelle, traditional French sauces are reimagined through the lens of the French diaspora, reflecting the restaurant’s philosophy. Served tableside, duck jus gets a lively kick from tamarind, while veal jus unfolds with layers of Haitian coffee, cinnamon, star anise, and vanilla, accompanying steak frites.
Regarding their comeback, Courdiet notes, “There’s a sense of comfort and nostalgia, and people are drawn to that in today’s stressful world.” In a fast-paced, tech-driven era, the revival of sauces brings something raw and human—a reminder of the importance of patience and the personal touch in cooking. Andrew adds, “People are returning to hands-on, repetitive learning, which feels very real.”
The renewed interest in French sauces goes beyond taste—it’s a celebration of heritage and culinary skill. In cities like London, Paris, and New York, chefs are breathing new life into age-old recipes while innovating, reaffirming what the French have long understood—and can confidently express. As Doneckle puts it, “A sauce is a state of mind, a sensibility. It’s the endless mystery, guided by instinct.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a helpful and clear FAQ about the stylish comeback of classic sauces
FAQs The Stylish Comeback of Classic Sauces
Beginner Questions
1 What are classic sauces
Classic sauces are the foundational timetested recipes from French and other culinary traditions that form the basis for many dishes we know and love Think of them as the mother sauces from which countless other sauces are derived
2 Why are they making a comeback now
People are craving authenticity comfort and quality in their food After years of trendy complex dishes theres a renewed appreciation for the timeless rich flavors and technical skill that these classic sauces represent
3 What are some examples of these classic sauces
The most famous are the five French mother sauces Béchamel Velouté Espagnole Hollandaise and Sauce Tomate
4 Im not a professional chef Are these sauces difficult to make at home
Some are easier than others A simple Béchamel for mac and cheese is very approachable Others like Hollandaise require a bit more practice but are absolutely achievable for a home cook with a good recipe and a little patience
Benefits Reasons for the Comeback
5 Whats the benefit of using a classic sauce over a storebought jar
Homemade classic sauces have a depth of flavor freshness and purity of ingredients that jarred sauces cant match You control exactly what goes in avoiding preservatives and excess sugar or salt
6 Do these sauces work with modern diets and cooking styles
Absolutely They are incredibly versatile You can adapt them to be glutenfree dairyfree or lighter by using alternative thickeners like cornstarch or roux made with nut flours and by using highquality stocks and broths
Common Problems Solutions
7 Whats the most common mistake people make when attempting these sauces
Rushing the process The foundation of many classic sauces is a roux which needs to be cooked slowly to develop flavor and avoid a raw pasty taste Patience is key