Pleasure at exclusive 5-star level

At the luxurious restaurant Le Safran owned by the 5-star house “L’Hôtel du Collectionneur” near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, chef François Gagnaire charms his guests with a fascinating mix of French cuisine and flavours from all over the world. He delights in experimenting with the world’s most precious and expensive spice, which is immortalised in the restaurant’s name. Only the highest quality products can please the star chef like many other chefs at exquisite restaurants and hotels: MIASA premium saffron. MIASA CEO Michael Sabet explains why.

Why do more and more chefs and star hotels rely on MIASA saffron?

MIASA saffron is the “queen of spices” – similar to truffle or champagne in their segments. The red gold must not be missing in any haute cuisine because its extraordinary taste transforms dishes in exotic experiences. The mystical origins, the elaborate extraction method and therefor its preciousness of saffron create a certain air of magic and exclusivity. MIASA exploits this potential to the full and offers a premium product of premium quality. This is why MIASA has long become an essential part of the cuisines of luxurious restaurants.

What constitutes the premium quality of your saffron?

Following a thorough analysis, we chose the Persian high mountain region along the ancient Silk Road in Iran as the main cultivation area of our saffron. Saffron of unmatched quality has been cultivated there for centuries. For the exclusive premium product, each individual stigma from the heart of the crocus plant is checked with tweezers. Highest-quality saffron stems from the deep red upper part, which is responsible for the scent, taste and colouring. Among experts, the quality is said to be unmatched. We only use this quality for our products.

How exactly does MIASA manage to ensure this high quality?

We monitor the unique production chain of the entire saffron trade – starting with the crocus farmers in the Persian high mountains, quality control of the Iranian distributors, the German laboratory analysis through to the supply to the end customer. We check the quality directly on the ground: Every year during harvest season, we are at the North-East of Iran and supervise the selection and the processing of the raw material in person. The close relationships with the local farmers and distributors, and the trust help, which we have built up over the years.

How do you meet the requirements of luxury cuisine?

We live for saffron. With the same requirements to the highest standard as our clients do. For MIASA, saffron is more than just a spice. It represents fascination, lifestyle and reflects ancient stories and myths. We want to allow people to experience this magic. We create an entire world of sensations around this spice. MIASA excels with competency that has grown over the years thanks to the close collaboration with experts. We cooperate with star chefs and restaurant experts. Together, we developed high-quality products such as saffron rice, pasta, honey, espresso, balsamic vinegar and liqueur whereby we act exclusively on premium level. In regards to salt, we rely on experts from a saline by the Red Sea and on the Fleur de Sel from an island off the French Atlantic coast. In combination with our saffron, we create a real luxury salt.