next gen tour ducati

Scrambler Bikes

Full Throttle

1100 Tribute Pro

1100 Sport Pro

1100 Dark Pro

Van orton limited edition.

Discover the limited edition cover kit created by Van Orton Design for the Scrambler Icon.

Next-Gen Tour

The next generation of Scrambler Ducati is here, willing to take the stage around the world.

Hi everyone, Next-Gen is here

The new Scrambler family is set to take the stage. Starting in May it will head off to some of Europe’s most important cities and beyond, bringing all the vibes from the new gen. Special guests will be the new Icon, Nightshift and Full Throttle.

Nine cities, Nine events

Milan, London, Munich, Madrid, Paris, Vienna, Mexico City, Tokyo and Brisbane. Here they are. Nine chances to closely experience the new Scrambler mode.

Test ride experience

During all Next-Gen Tour events you will have the opportunity to test ride the Next-Gen Scrambler models.

Van Orton Design Collaboration

Art and digitization meet in the Van Orton Design style. Besides caring the visual identity of the tour, the artists will design a one-off graphic kit to be equipped on a show bike.

Watch the Wrap-up Video

Relive all the thrills of the Next-Gen Tour.

The schedule

Next-Gen Tour London

Next-gen tour milan, next-gen tour munich, next-gen tour paris, next-gen tour madrid, next-gen tour vienna, next-gen tour mexico city, next-gen tour tokyo, next-gen tour brisbane, next-gen tour canarias, next-gen tour china.

Next-Gen Sounds

The Next-Gen Freedom megaphone, a window into the Scrambler universe. Listen the playlist on Spotify.

Van Orton x Scrambler Ducati

On display also the unique Scrambler Ducati version based on Van Orton design, in the wake of the customization spirit that represents one of the cornerstones of the brand philosophy. Watch the behind the scenes video.

Next-gen bikes

Subscribe to the newsletter

By entering your email address you will always be up to date with the latest Scrambler Ducati news and promotions.

I declare that I have read the privacy policy drafted pursuant to art. 13 of EU Regulation 2016/679 on the protection of personal data (“Regulation”) and I authorize the processing of my email address for the purposes specified therein.

Choose your country or region

Travelling with the emotions of the Scrambler Ducati Next-Gen Tour

This site uses different types of cookies, including analytics and profiling cookies (its own and from other sites) to send you advertising in line with the preferences you have shown while online. If you want to know click here. In closing this window, by clicking on OK or accessing any feature within this site you are consenting to the use of cookies.

• 110 hp Power
• 68 lb-ft Torque
• 202 kg Dry weight

• 168 hp Power
• 93 lb-ft Torque
• 211 kg Dry weight

• 160 hp* Power
• 93.7 lb ft* Torque
• 221 kg Dry weight
• 1,262 cc (77.0 cu in) Displacement

• 93,7 lb-ft* Torque
• 223 kg Dry weight
• 1,262 cc Displacement

• 93, 7 lb-ft* Torque

• 114 hp Power
• 71 lb-ft Torque
• 176 kg Dry weight
• 937 cc Displacement

• 178 kg Dry weight

• 111 hp Power
• 9.5 kgm Torque
• 166 kg Dry weight

• 69 lb-ft Torque
• 166 kg (366 lb) Dry weight
• 937 cc (57 cu in) Displacement

• 69 lb ft Torque

• 153 hp Power
• 90.4 lb-ft Torque

• 208 hp Power
• 180 kg Dry weight

• 1,103 CC Displacement

• 177 kg Dry weight

• 170 hp Power
• 12,3 kgm Torque
• 227 kg Dry weight

• 113hp Power
• 96 Nm Torque
• 439 lb Dry weight
• 1,158 CC Displacement

• 92 lb ft Torque
• 215 kg Dry weight

• 218 kg Dry weight

• 217 kg Dry weight

• 12.7 kgm Torque
• 214 kg Dry weight

• 237 hp Racing setup Power
• 87 lb-ft Racing setup Torque
• 167 kg Racing setup Dry weight
• 998 cc Displacement

• 155 hp Power
• 76,7 lb-ft Torque
• 174,5 kg (385 lb) Dry weight
• 955 cc Displacement

• 214 hp Power
• 91,5 lb-ft Torque
• 175 kg Dry weight
• 1,103 cc Displacement

• 174 kg Dry weight

• 215,5 hp Power
• 91.2 lb-ft Torque
• 173 kg Dry weight

• 234 hp with full racing exhaust Power
• 87.7 lb-ft with full racing exhaust Torque
• 152.2 kg (335.5 lb) with racing kit Dry weight

• 184 kg (405 lb) Dry weight
• 937 CC Displacement

• New Monster SP
• New V4 Lamborghini
• New V4 Rally
• V4 Pikes Peak
• Superleggera V4
• New FULL THROTTLE
• New NIGHTSHIFT
• 1100 Tribute pro
• 1100 SPORT PRO
• 1100 DARK PRO
• Make Your Own Suit
• New DESERT SLED FASTHOUSE
• DEALER LOCATOR

• MODELS MODELS

• Contact Dealer

• V4 Lamborghini
• Panigale V4 R
• Full Throttle
• 1100 Tribute Pro
• 1100 Sport Pro
• 1100 Dark Pro

Discover all the details of your favourite Ducati bikes and download the brochure!

Ducati Unica is the new customization program dedicated to those who want to design and build their own exclusive and unique motorcycle.

• Desmo Owner Club
• Ducati Facebook
• Ducati Hong Kong
• Ducati Youtube
• Ducati LinkedIn
• Find a Club
• Uncategorized

Next-Gen Tour: the new Scrambler Ducati takes centre stage in Europe

Energy, get-together, entertainment, music, colours, digital art.  All this and much more can be expected from the five stages of the  Scrambler Ducati Next-Gen Tour : the itinerant journey with which the new generation Ducati Scrambler aims to leave an indelible mark in the hearts of enthusiasts, immediately after impressing everyone with its dynamic characteristics during the Global Riding Première in Valencia.

Five of the  most important European cities (London, Milan, Munich, Madrid and Paris)  will host five events in cool locations fully in line with the mood of the brand, with which to immerse yourself in the Scrambler Ducati world and experience those vibes that have made it  a global success with more than 100,000 motorcycles sold in 8 years.

The Next-Gen Tour project is immediately recognizable for its  strong visual and graphic identity , developed in collaboration with  Van Orton Design . The Italian duo are among the most popular exponents of European digital art and for the occasion they have expressed their creative principles based on the concepts of the second-generation Ducati Scrambler, taking care of the image of the entire tour. Furthermore, in the wake of the spirit of customization that represents one of the cornerstones of the Scrambler Ducati philosophy, Van Orton Design has brought its creativity to the covers of a  unique version  that will tour Europe.

Each stage of the Next-Gen Tour will have a unique and special program with numerous surprises to entertain and amuse the participants. Everything will revolve around the new models in the range: Ducati  Scrambler Icon, Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle and Ducati Scrambler Nightshift,  three versions that confirm the simplicity and authenticity that have always represented essential values for all Scrambler Ducati enthusiasts, while at the same time becoming more contemporary, colourful and endowed with an even more lively personality. During the stages of the tour, it will also be possible to  test ride a Ducati Scrambler Icon  or book one to test at the nearest dealership.

This is the calendar of the Scrambler Ducati Next-Gen Tour:

London,  HERE at Outernet   – April 27th Milan,  Spazio Lenovo   – May 4th (Test rides available at Ducati Milan also on May 5th and May 6th) Munich,  Jochen Schweizer Arena   – May 13th Paris,  Ground Control   – May 16th Madrid,  X-Madrid  – June 1st

Further information on the program of each stage of the Next-Gen Tour and on how to book test rides is available in the dedicated section of the  Ducati.com  and  scramblerducati.com websites .

#ScramblerDucati #NextGenFreedom #NextGenTour

Scrambler® Next-Gen Tour calendar

Subscribe to the ducati newsletter.

By entering your email address you will always be up to date with the latest Ducati news and promotions.

At any time you can complete your registration and create your profile on Ducati.com to receive personalised communications and access all features.

I declare that I have read the privacy policy drafted pursuant to art. 13 of EU Regulation 2016/679 on the protection of personal data (" Regulation ") and I authorise the processing of my email address for the purposes specified therein.

Enter a valid email address

Thank you for subscribing.

• Terms of use
• Privacy Information
• Cookie Information

Choose your country or region

• APAC website

• New Caledonia

• Philippines

Exclusive: Ducati Ready 4 Red Tour Showcases The 2023 Model Lineup Including The Most Excessive Panigale Yet

TopSpeed previewed the 2023 Ducati model lineup when the Ready 4 Red Tour rolled into downtown Los Angeles

Ducati kicked off its Ready 4 Red Tour in San Francisco before rolling into Los Angeles last week, as the Bologna-based builder of ballistic bikes showcased its new models for 2023. Featuring six updated motorcycles, highlights of Ready 4 Red 2023 included the new Panigale V4 R, billed as “ The closest production model to a competition bike ever, ” and the Next-Gen Nightshift Scrambler, a modern take on the classic café racer. One of three “Next-Gen Freedom” Scramblers debuting this year . And making its first U.S. appearance, the latest Diavel, sporting a new powerplant and eye-catching design.

Downtown LA’s bustling Arts District is home to the first US Bike Shed Motorcycle Club , which hosted the Ready 4 Red show, numerous Ducatisti, and an abundance of journalists, as Ducati unveiled its latest selection of stunning motorcycles. The new sister location of the original Bike Shed in Shoreditch, Central London, opened in Los Angeles last year and made an ideal backdrop to the gleaming machinery on show. The Bike Shed models itself as the "Soho House for Bikers," although club membership is not a prerequisite for enjoying its restaurant, bar, motorcycle apparel store, and barber shop.

RELATED: Here's What Makes The Ducati Scrambler So Special Even Today

Next-Gen Freedom –The New Ducati Scramblers

Jason Chinnock, CEO of Ducati North America, took to the stage to introduce the new models, starting with the 2023 Nightshift Scrambler. The Nightshift is one of three Next-Gen Freedom Scramblers that Ducati is introducing this year. The updated Desmodue twin-cylinder engine is lighter, and thanks to some nifty chassis modifications, the new Scrambler has shed nearly nine pounds. Weight saved despite adding a new suite of ride-by-wire electronics, which includes two rider modes, cornering ABS, adjustable traction control, and a quickshifter.

The $10,995 Icon Scrambler, which comes in three base colors and six interchangeable accessory cover options, aims its sights at the more expressive end of the market. The sporty aesthetics of the Full-Throttle celebrates the 1962 launch of the first Ducati Scrambler and shares the same $12,195 price tag with the more subtly configured Nightshift, which bears the thoroughly Ducati-esque tagline, “Next-Gen Classy.” In fairness, it is rather classy, thanks to its Nebula Blue color scheme and chestnut-brown seat.

RELATED: You've Never Seen A Ducati Monster Like This

Monster SP–The Maddest Monster

“Mad for Fun,” the new Monster SP, made a splash at the Ready 4 Red party, adding some extra spice to an already spicy concoction. Maximum power remains a healthy 111 horses, so what do you get for the $2,600 premium added to the $12,995 MSRP of the Monster Plus? A race spec NIX30 fork, Termignoni homologated silencer, Brembo Stylema front calipers, and Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires.

Tweaked technology also includes a sportier engine map and additional Wet riding mode. Not that there was much to complain about with the fork, silencer, or brakes on the Plus model, but if you’re mad enough, there’s a Monster SP for you.

RELATED: 10 Greatest Ducati Motorcycles Of All Time

Street Fighter V4 SP2– The Italian Track Star

Also unveiled at the Ready 4 Red Tour, and another recipient of the SP treatment, the new track-only 2023 Street Fighter V4 SP2. Effectively a naked Panigale with a flat handlebar, the SP2 shares the semi-active Öhlins suspension with the V4 S, but comes with carbon fiber wheels, Brembo Stylema R calipers, a race-spec dry clutch, and the benefit of some advanced electronic shenanigans.

The 208-horsepower Street Fighter V4 SP2 weighs under 400 pounds–just let that sink in for a moment–and, with its MotoGP-derived technology, promises to improve even the most accomplished weekend warrior’s lap times. Still, all that bling comes at a price, and the SP2 has an MSRP of $37,995.

RELATED: Here's Why Ducati Won't Make An Entry-Level Motorcycle

Diavel V4–La Bellezza Bolognese

The updated 2023 Ducati Diavel turned heads at Ready 4 Red. The recent recipient of the “Most Beautiful Bike” award at EICMA adopts the V4 Granturismo engine, helping it drop nearly 30 pounds, which promises to improve handling and agility. The Diavel uniquely combines the relaxed ergonomics of a cruiser with the performance of a naked roadster and equally singular design elements.

Giant air in-takes frame a modern/retro LED headlight and a distinctive new LED array at the rear, and short, side-mounted, four-into-four exhaust can are some of the stunningly stylized aesthetics. Now weighing less than 500 pounds, the $26,695 Diavel should handle as well as it looks.

RELATED: Top 10 Italian Motorcycle Manufacturers

Mutistrada V4 Rally – A Continent Conquorer

Ducati’s globetrotting adventure bike has come a long way since its introduction twenty years ago. The 2023 Multistrada V4 Rally also shares the Granturismo engine and bristles with the latest technology, including forward- and rear-facing radar for adaptive cruise control and blindspot detection, Marzocchi semi-active Skyhook DSS EVO suspension, and a comprehensive suite of rider aids and modes. Ready for a long weekend or crossing continents, the $29,995 V4 Rally comes equipped with aluminum side cases, heated rider and pillion seats, heated grips, an engine guard, and a center stand.

RELATED: 10 Things That Prove the Ducati Panigale V4 Is a Superbike From the Future

Panigale V4 R – Barely Legal

Weighing little more than a lawnmower, with a claimed 240 horsepower and a contact patch the size of a handkerchief, the Panigale V4 R is, in the abstract, completely ridiculous , even by fast motorcycle standards. Although priced beyond the means of most, and with a performance envelope only a gifted few will ever truly explore, Ducati’s $45,000 (barely) road-legal sportbike is nevertheless, beautiful to behold and a worthy addition to the lineup. The V4 R is a road-going testament to Ducati’s achievements in MotoGP and MotoAmerica, utilizing cutting-edge materials and technology usually reserved for the track.

Each individually numbered Panigale V4 R uses a race-tuned version of the Desmosedici Stradale R engine, which Ducati claims, in its track configuration with the racing exhaust fitted, produces 240.5 horses at 15,500 RPM. A dry clutch, DLC-treated piston sleeves, titanium rods, carbon fiber wings, and an advanced electronics suite are just some of the V4 R’s race-spec features. Fully adjustable and customizable to suit track and conditions, the latest, top-of-the-line Panigale is the closest any of us mere mortals will ever get to riding a MotoGP bike.

RELATED: 10 Best Ducati Motorcycles Currently On Sale

Ready 4 Red – At Cities Across The US

The Ready 4 Red Tour is in full swing and has events planned at another ten cities across the US before wrapping up in Portland, OR, on March 18. Ducati fans interested in reserving a spot at their local event can apply online and join the team for a complimentary drink and a bite to eat while they gaze at Ducati’s latest machinery. The 2023 Ducati lineup will be in dealerships in early spring and is available for preorder now. One absentee from the Ready 4 Red show was the DesertX, which remains the same, except for the addition of a bold black and grey RR22 livery option inspired by the four-stage Dakar-winning Audi RS Q e-tron.

Scrambler Ducati • Next-Gen Tour

Creative Fields

Graphic Design

Illustration

• inspiration

No use is allowed without explicit permission from owner

Over 18,000 Riders Rolled Out For The Ducati 'We Ride As One' Tour

It's only the third year ever that ducati groups worldwide have participated in this event, but the numbers keep growing..

What did you do on Saturday, May 4, 2024?

If you're a Star Wars fan and/or a woman rider, you may have had other plans for Star Wars Day or International Female Ride Day .

Whether or not you're either of the two things listed above, Ducati certainly hoped that if you're also a Ducati rider, you found your local 'We Ride As One' event to roll out in a sea of red for your favorite Bologna-based bike manufacturer.

2024 marks the third year that Ducati clubs around the globe have hosted We Ride As One events, but it's definitely not the last. In 2023, around 15,000 Ducatisti worldwide joined the party. In 2024, the official number is now up to over 18,000. It's clear that the fans are into the fun of this global event.

Ducati We Ride As One 2024

Some stats for 2024 include: 

• 347 local Ducati Official Clubs participated around the world
• Riders from over 50 different countries attended rides in their area
• Each club set up an appropriate local route and organized the events so that local riders could join in
• Cities that participated include (but are not limited to) Auckland, Glasgow, Medellin, Mexico City, New York, New Delhi, Ningbo, Palermo, Rio de Janeiro, and Warsaw. 

It's 2024 and this was an international event, so Ducati invited participants to post photos and video using the appropriate hashtags on social media. In addition to the post above, you can click through to Ducati's official Instagram page and look at its Highlights to find a bunch more photos and videos from ride events around the world.

Don't Worry If You Missed It; There's Always Next Year

Ducati's We Ride As One won't always be held on May 4th each year. Instead, much like International Female Ride Day before it, WRAO will take place on the first Saturday of every May. That means in 2025, the next WRAO will take place on May 3, 2025, so mark your calendars and start planning.

The purpose of the event is to show that geography and time zones are no obstacles when it comes to all sharing the joy of riding your Ducati together with other fans around the world.

More Ducati

• Would You Do A Joint Ducati and Porsche Track Experience For $1,300?
• Ducati’s “Fisica In Moto” Summer School Is Any Bike Kid’s Dream Come True

Source: Ducati

• Revista Motociclismo

Ducati Scrambler – cover kit for the Scrambler Icon by Van Orton Design – only 50 units available.

Fonte:Ducati Media House

The “Van Orton x Scrambler Ducati” caps kit can now be ordered at Ducati dealers. It will be delivered in a special box with its own graphics, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a series of surprises in the best “Land of Joy” style, including various collectible stickers that can be used on any occasion to make your bike even more unique. The clothing collection will soon be available for sale at Ducati dealerships and online at the “Scrambler section” in the Ducati store .

The Scrambler models in Ducati’s range are the perfect choice for those who want to express their personality through a bike with a unique and unmistakable design, dynamic and fun, accessible and safe for daily use. A bike designed for those seeking freedom and wanting to share their style and way of being with others.

In Portugal, the ‘Ducati Active’ financial solution is available for the Ducati Scrambler Icon, Nightshift, and Full Throttle models at no extra cost. This allows you to buy the bike and enjoy it for as long as you decide (minimum of 2 years and maximum of 5). And when the contract ends, you decide what to do: you can renew the contract and trade in your Scrambler for a new one, keep it by paying or refinancing the guaranteed minimum value, or return it and end the contract.

The Desmodue engine of the new Ducati Scrambler generation has been modernized internally and is now equipped with a new eight-plate clutch, which is smoother in operation. The clutch is more compact, allowing the size of the cover to be reduced, providing more space for the rider’s foot. The new Ducati Scrambler has also been upgraded in its technical components and lightened by a total of 4 kg, making it more agile and easier to ride.

“Obviously, there is no doubt about Marc; we have Jorge Martin; he is the priority” – Gino Borsoi

Video – well-stuffed edition of news – expomoto 2024.

Video - Well-stuffed edition of news - Expomoto 2024

© 2024 Motociclismo - Todos os direitos Reservados Motociclismo .

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Remember Me

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Add New Playlist

- Select Visibility - Public Private

Over 18,000 Riders Rolled Out For The Ducati ‘We Ride As One’ Tour

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Gen AI innovation race is leading to security gaps, according to IBM and AWS

• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn

Join us in returning to NYC on June 5th to collaborate with executive leaders in exploring comprehensive methods for auditing AI models regarding bias, performance, and ethical compliance across diverse organizations. Find out how you can attend here .

What will it take to secure generative AI?

According to a new study released today by IBM and Amazon Web Services (AWS ) there is no simple ‘silver bullet’ solution to secure gen AI, especially now. The report is based on a survey conducted by the IBM Institute for Business Value that surveyed leading executives at U.S. organizations. While gen AI is a top initiative for many, the survey found a high level of enthusiasm for security. 82% of C-suite leaders stated that secure and trustworthy AI is essential for business success.

That said, there is a dichotomy in the results and a difference with what’s actually happening in the real world. The report found that organizations are securing only 24% of their current generative AI projects. IBM isn’t the only firm with a report that raises concerns about security. PwC recently reported that 77% of CEOs are concerned about AI cybersecurity risks. 

Not coincidentally, IBM is working on different approaches with AWS to help improve that situation in the future. Today, IBM is also announcing the IBM X-Force Red Testing Service for AI to further advance generative AI security.

The AI Impact Tour: The AI Audit

Join us as we return to NYC on June 5th to engage with top executive leaders, delving into strategies for auditing AI models to ensure fairness, optimal performance, and ethical compliance across diverse organizations. Secure your attendance for this exclusive invite-only event.

“In all the client conversations I’ve been having  I see that leaders are being pulled into different directions,” Dimple Ahluwalia, Global Senior Partner for Cybersecurity Services at IBM Consulting told VentureBeat. “They feel the pressure certainly from both their internal and external stakeholders to innovate with use of gen AI, but that means for some of them that security becomes an afterthought.”

Innovation or security? Gen AI implementations tend to only pick one

While it might seem that having security is common sense for any type of technology deployment, the reality is that’s not always the case.

The report found that for 69% of organizations, innovation takes precedence over security. Ahluwalia noted that organizations have not fully ingrained security across all lines of business. The report also makes it clear that business leaders understand the importance of security and address that issue to help make production deployments of gen AI more successful.

“People are so excited that they’re rushing to see if they can get productivity gains, if they can look at how to be more competitive,” she said. 

Ahluwalia said that the same thing happened in the early years of cloud when every conversation had to involve a discussion of moving workloads to the cloud, often without proper security oversight.

“That’s what is happening now with gen AI, everybody feels compelled and are rushing to get to it,” Ahluwalia said. “The plans haven’t been thought through and as a result, I think security kind of suffers as well.”

Guardrails and policy are the keys to gen AI security

So how can and should organizations improve?

The report recommends that in order to build trust in gen AI, organizations must start with governance. That includes establishing policies, processes and controls aligned with business objectives. 81% said generative AI requires new security governance models.

Once governance is set, strategies can address securing the full AI pipeline using available tools and controls. Collaboration across security, technology and business teams is needed. There is also benefit potentially in leveraging technology partners’ expertise for strategy, training, cost justification and navigating compliance.

How IBM X-Force Red Testing Service for AI fits in

Beyond guardrails and governance there is also a need to validate and test. 

IBM X-Force Red’s new Testing Service for AI is IBM’s first testing service tailored specifically for AI. The new service is bringing together a cross-discipline team of experts across penetration testing, AI systems, and data science. The service will also make use of expertise from IBM Research, which developed the Adversarial Robustness Toolbox (ART).

The concept of a ‘red team’ in security generally means there is a group that is taking an adversarial approach in proactively attacking resources in order to help learn where gaps exist. 

Chris Thompson, Global Head of X-Force Red at IBM explained to VentureBeat that the industry adopted the term “AI red teaming” for better or worse recently, primarily with a focus on the safety and security testing of models themselves. In his view, to date there hasn’t been a traditional red team focus on stealth and evasion. Rather the focus has been more on getting models to do something they shouldn’t, such as produce harmful content or gain access to sensitive RAG datasets. 

“Attacks against gen AI apps themselves are very similar to traditional application security attacks but with a new twist and expanded attack surface,” Thompson said.

At this point in 2024, he noted that IBM is seeing more of a convergence with what is considered to be true red teaming. The approach IBM is taking is to look at the wider attack paths into gen AI. The four areas of AI red teaming IBM has developed services around include: AI platforms, the pipeline used to tune and train the models (MLSecOps), the production environment running the gen AI applications, and the gen AI applications themselves. 

“Aligned with traditional red teaming, we’re also focused on missed detection opportunities and reducing the time it takes to detect any potential advanced threat actors successfully targeting these new AI solutions,” Thompson said.

Stay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox daily

By subscribing, you agree to VentureBeat's Terms of Service.

Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here .

An error occured.

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

Introducing the next generation to the legend of Chez Denise

• Introducing the next generation to the legend of Chez Denise on x (opens in a new window)
• Introducing the next generation to the legend of Chez Denise on facebook (opens in a new window)
• Introducing the next generation to the legend of Chez Denise on linkedin (opens in a new window)
• Introducing the next generation to the legend of Chez Denise on whatsapp (opens in a new window)

Tim Hayward

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

I imagine when you get off the Eurostar at the Gare du Nord, you’re probably filled with the thrilling possibilities of Paris. The romance, the atmosphere. Me? I’ve got a bloody list. 

It’s always a conflict. You need to try the latest places. You want to respond to the vibrant contemporary restaurant scene in a globally important capital. But you’re also drawn back to places you’ve loved. Places that are comfortable, “typical”, full of soul and nostalgia.

No matter the brief, I can’t go to Paris without visiting Dehillerin. It’s the catering equipment shop on the edge of Les Halles, which is conveniently central. It was beloved of the entire postwar culinary pantheon, and I still can’t resist it. The downstairs cellar used to contain every type and size of pot known to man, including the great, eight-handled copper turbotiere that hung from the ceiling, which I’ve promised myself I’d be buried in. Today, the basement is nearly empty and the ground floor is a slow-moving queue of visitors, but, of course, they’re just like me. Enthusiasts who’d travel halfway around the globe to stare at atmospheric spatulae and inscrutable dariole moulds. Of course it’s “touristy”, but these are my people.

The other station at which I pray is a restaurant I was first taken to when I was a photographer’s assistant at fashion week, which puts it in the last century. People call it Chez Denise, though La Tour de Montlhery is emblazoned on the plates. You can just about find it online, if you’re prepared for the surreal insanities of the French internet, but it’s not worth it. They only accept phone bookings.

The origin myth is that Chez Denise is a survivor from the days when Les Halles was a meat market and was where the porters went to drink cheap wine and eat meaty meals. If I say it’s “unreconstructed”, you can see how that might be a compliment, but this is on a different scale. The exterior is a sort of rusticated chalet chic, the interior a nicotine-soaked beige cave. There are check tablecloths with a “quick change” paper cover and a surreal collection of pictures. I took my daughter this time, her first, and we pondered long and hard as to why they have a wall-sized portrait of Leonid Brezhnev. I posited some hypothesis about the noble socialist inclinations of the porters, but was rather undermined by the picture next to it of six oiled nudes in a sardine tin. But it didn’t matter. For me, the most significant thing on the wall was a pair of vast blackboards. 

Escargots, hure de porc, os á moelle, boeuf gros sel, daube de joue de boeuf, coquillettes, tripes au calvados, cervelles d’agneau meunière, brochette d’onglet de boeuf, onglet de boeuf grillé, andouillette grillée, pied de porc . . . I quote this selection verbatim and in the original partially for its poetry, but mainly as an aide-memoire for my next visit. These are the things I’ve yet to try. The menu is huge, and it is my ambition to work through it — though my favourite line is still the last: “Supplement frites 5€.”

That’s pretty much it for vegetables.

At the next table was a retired couple from Atlanta who’d paid for a local guide to bring them here. She was a young musician, extremely sound on art galleries and opera, but her understanding of andouillette was suspect.

“It’s sausage.”

“Like our andouille?”

It was a tricky moment, deciding whether to intervene or watch them grind through a couple of metres of rank pig colons packed into themselves. Thank God they ordered the roast chicken. 

My daughter was initially tempted by a steak tartare carried past her at head height (“Christ, did you see the size of that thing?”) but ordered instead a modest plate of saucisson sec, merely the size of a hubcap. It was paved thin with 0.5mm slices of the soft texture that’s only achieved when they know exactly how to buy charcuterie and have a blisteringly fast turnover.

I had the rillettes de porc. Only a small bucketful. Unctuous is an overused adjective that does it no justice, but it’s the only word we have for “thickens your blood with liquid lard and melts down the pleasure centres, in a good way”.

They have my favourite kind of wine list. First, you choose white or red. Then you choose between the house wine and the slightly more expensive house wine. Then they slam the bottle on the table with a couple of Duralex glasses the thickness of Marmite jars. 

Then they bought the rognons de veau in mustard sauce. I’m not sure I can explain what kidneys do to me. Hell, if Joyce couldn’t, then it’s well beyond my skills. But somehow, I don’t experience the pissiness or the squeam. For me, it’s the velvet homogeneity of the texture and the incredible richness, and there is no better foil than a shedload of Dijon mustard and cream, no better accompaniment than a big plate of chips and the company of your happy daughter taking down an onglet like a starved wolverine.

There was a monstrous mousse au chocolat we couldn’t finish, though, as God is my witness, we gave it our best, and then we wandered out into the street and the kind of rain-slicked cobbles that should only be shot in black and white.

The sentimental dad in me felt like something important had been passed, a blessing given. But mainly I was thinking about what I’m going to order next time.

Tour de Montlhery — Chez Denise

5 Rue des Prouvaires, 75001 Paris, France

Starters: €12-€28

Mains: €25-€40

Desserts: €12-€13

Follow Tim @TimHayward and email him at [email protected]

Follow @FTMag to find out about our latest stories first and subscribe to our podcast Life and Art wherever you listen

Promoted Content

Follow the topics in this article.

• Tim Hayward Add to myFT
• FT Magazine Add to myFT
• Food & Drink Add to myFT
• Restaurants Add to myFT

International Edition