As the executive chef of famed five-star hotel Le Meurice in Paris, Yannick Alléno is a man who knows French cuisine. Having taken over the hotel restaurant’s reins in 2003, within four years he had garnered three Michelin stars. Alléno is surrounded by exceptional food all day long, but when not enjoying Paris’ culinary selection, what place sets his taste buds tingling?

The resort-like island of Paros in Greece is one of his most frequented escapes, but Alléno always makes sure to stop by Athens before he heads home – not for the fine Greek fare mind you, but to sample the delights of French restaurant Spondi (pictured below). There’s a sly bit of bias in his choice: Spondi’s head chef is Arnaud Bignon, who formerly trained at such renowned establishments as Alain Ducasse, The Bristol and Drouant – the latter being Alléno’s cooking ground before he took on Le Meurice’s reins. But Alléno insists it’s the restaurant’s “exquisite French cuisine,” highlighted by the fresh-from-the-deep seafood, which won his vote. By taking advantage of its prime Mediterranean positioning, Spondi serves up everything from cod to calamari in classic Escoffier style.

Alléno professes a love for the chef’s speciality: sea bass coated in iodized bread asparagus, cuttlefish and capers, with Espelette pepper and acidulated juice. It’s the kind of dish that becomes an obsession, one that sees the chef often re-routing trips abroad just to satisfy his craving.

Award-winning Singaporean chef Justin Quek likes to visit Italy and Spain when not managing one of his three restaurants in Taiwan, or visiting Whisk at the Mira Hong Kong, of which he is the creative mastermind.

“Alba is a place not only known for its white truffles, but also for its wine. I generally visit Alba during truffle season, and I stay at a friend’s vineyard. In Alba you really get to enjoy Piemontese cuisine.

“Guido is a perennial favourite, as they serve traditional Piemontese food, which is very simple and pared down. Enrico’s cooking is very clean, simple, and essential – two Michelin star cuisine. It’s the same unfussy approach I take to my cooking at Whisk – no frills, clean, concentrated flavours; light French with a touch of Asian. I’ll have any one of the delicious dishes on the menu at Guido, accompanied by a Barbaresco vino rosso, which is a regional specialty.

“When I go to Spain, I usually gravitate towards San Sebastian – the Mecca of modern food. El Bulli is nice of course, but Arzak is classic, pure Mediterranean food with all of the flavours of summer. I love the modern style of Juan Mari’s cuisine, it’s a three star Michelin, but it’s not trying too hard. I want pure simple food, and flavours that come alive. That’s how I like to cook for my guests, too.”

Arzak restaurant in Spain