Uberchef Jöel Robuchon is opening a l'Atelier in São Paulo!

l'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Paris

Hottest piece of foodie gossip to hit Brazil this season? Robuchon is coming! Although his people continue to deny it, claiming they're still in preliminary talks, the Brazilian partners of the soon-to-open resto are talking. And they claim the first Latin American L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is nearly ready, and will be unveiled as early as September.

Strangely, a source very close to Robuchon says "there is no L'Atelier opening in São Paulo
next month. An agreement has not even been signed as of yet. He was quite surprised that you heard this because it is entirely not true and not happening at this time."

Architect Tiago Guiness, ex-Triptyque, is in charge of the project. Partners include Simone Abdelnour, Gisele Moraes and Chris Corcks. More on this soon!

UPDATE: False alarm... turns out the restaurant described above will be a COPY of the Paris l'Atelier, but not an official outpost. Sigh...

And more on São Paulo dining:

• Index of all the restaurants in Itaim, in alphabetical order
• Kinoshita, the best Japanese restaurant in São Paulo
  
• New restaurants, February 09: Dalva e Dito, Millesapori, Vito, Na Cozinha, Arturito
• A review of my first lunch at Vito, owned by chef André Mifano
  
• Maní, one of São Paulo's best restaurants
• Where to eat Brazilian food: Maní, Brasil a Gosto, Capim Santo, D.O.M., Dalva e Dito
  
• Quintal do Bráz: São Paulo's best pizza
• Dui, Bel Coelho's new restaurant, opens in May in the Jardins district
• First photos and full menu at Duí, Bel Coelho's new restaurant
  
• Second outpost of P.J.Clarke's set to open in the Jardins district
• Tappo Trattoria, one of São Paulo's top Italian restaurants
• Gaston Acurio is set to open a La Mar Cevicheria in São Paulo
• Forneria San Paolo in the Daslu megastore: a disappointment
• La Casserole, classic French Bistro in the Old Downtown (Centro)
• Aizomê, voted by Veja São Paulo's dining guide best Japanese in town
• Chef Paulo de Barros, owner of Due Cuochi, opens the French bistro Le Marais
  

Alex Atala:

• Alex Atala serves Amazonian ingredients to Spanish chefs at D.O.M.
• Interview with chef Alex Atala
• Dalva e Dito, Alex Atala's new restaurants in the Jardins district
• Full report of my lunch at Dalva e Dito, with photos