"Years of my work have been rewarded"

_{Gault&Millau France}

_{Gaut&Millau France} 

_{What does the title of "Chef of the Year" mean to you?}

_{Many emotions. We are all tough and resilient in this business, but on the inside, I cried with happiness. It is a great joy that I managed to reach this milestone, an award I never thought I would win. The years of my work are rewarded. We all dream of being there someday. Gault&Millau is one of the world's most renowned guides. In 2004, the first year I saw my name in the guide, I could not believe it. After I was elected "Chef of Tomorrow", then Best chef of the Rhône-Alpes region, it is magical to be elected "Chef of the Year". This puts me in the lineage of Marc Veyrat, Alain Chapel, Troisgros, Robuchon, Bernard Loiseau...} 

_{This distinction is very timely, because you took over the Auberge du Père Bise just a little while ago...}

_{Yes. It is very reassuring to be supported at this particular moment. It has only been six months since we took over this restaurant. This will put a spotlight on the work we did with Magali, my wife. The fact that Gault & Millau believed in me will always stay in my heart. You know, I have taken strong commitments and huge risks in coming to Talloires. Moreover, today I am rewarded. It gives us all even more strength. That motivates the team. This makes it possible to make the house known to a wider audience. In addition, all the gourmets who follow Gault&Millau will want to come and give their opinion. This guide promotes chefs who take risks and try to stand out. It is a great encouragement.} 

_{What are you most proud of?}

_{It is to have managed to acquire a reputation as one of the best gastronomic venues. Nobody in my family is in this business. With my experience in Val Thorens and the quality of the work that I provided up there, I have managed to make banks want to follow me on this project, to make many people join me to make it real. Moreover, today I make teams want to follow me and to move forward. Very few chefs of my generation have the chance to lead a big restaurant. And my challenge is to maintain it. It is very hard to hold an establishment of this size in France. However, for me, French art is a combination of an exceptional place and an exceptional cuisine.} 

_{How do you find inspiration?}

_{Inspiration comes naturally to me. I have flashes, ideas that pop up, ideas about fusions, things I want to try. It is a profession for the curious. You can be amazed by something simple. Whose cuisine is the best in my opinion? My mother's and my grandmother's. And why were their dishes so good? Because they were made with generosity and love. Cooking is a part of the heart. There must be emotion. I am also inspired by observing the product and by meeting different people. This way, I am moving forward. I have to have fun sharing with the people around me.} 

_{What was your favorite childhood dish?}

_{One of many: a slice of bread baked on butter with a poached egg on it and spinach. It is very simple but just too good.} 

_{What do you pass on to your teams?}

_{Experience that made me grow as a man and as a chef: we grow and mature by meeting different people. Like the fisherman we saw earlier. If the product is good, it is because its grower has requirements and rigor that must be shared with his team.}