The decline of Arpège

A once-great restaurant is now a "bungled mess"

Eating at Arpège for the first time changed my life. This was back in 2010, and I was broke. I saved up for months to take my then-boyfriend for his birthday. It was my first three-star restaurant, and I wanted to feel ready (or maybe worthy?), so I read everything I could about chef Alain Passard and his celebration of vegetables.

One of my first bites …