Laurent Petit, at the helm of Le Clos des Sens since 1992, has let his thinking change with time, be it about his cuisine or his restaurant. Awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide, he shook loose of his classical training and preconceived notions to hone an identity centered on nature and people.
Since he arrived at L’Oustau de Baumanière, Glenn Viel has made it a point of honor to cultivate a garden that respects the rhythm of nature, to raise animals, to minimize waste. Meet a role model.
Arnaud Faye is the two-Michelin-star chef at La Chèvre d’Or in Èze, southeastern France. The establishment, perched on a promontory, is blessed with an idyllic setting and a culinary commander, just named a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, who leads his staff with gentle strength.
Julien Dumas has headed the kitchens of Lucas Carton, a Paris institution steeped in the legacy of an extraordinary chef, Alain Senderens. Dumas, a Grenoble native, has managed to create a personal style of cuisine, with local ingredients, to leave his own mark on the French culinary landscape.
Cédric Béchade honed his craft at the finest establishments and could have pursued a lofty path of technically sophisticated cuisine. Instead, he chose to settle in the Basque Country as an environmentally conscientious innkeeper.
Michel Guérard no longer needs any introduction. Since the passing of Paul Bocuse, he and Pierre Troisgros are the last remaining activists of the great revolution of French chefs. At a lively 86 years of age, he remains a determined campaigner for healthy cuisine that could change the world.
Argentinean-born Mauro Colagreco opened Mirazur restaurant in 2006 (3 Michelin stars, ranked No. 3 in the 50 Best). This committed cook has never forgotten where he came from. "Origenes" is his pet project. He tells us more about it in the first interview our "60 seconds for a better world" series.
As a little boy, Hugo Roellinger listened eagerly to the bedtime stories told by his father, Olivier Roellinger, a former three-star chef and Vice President of Relais & Châteaux. Former sailor, Hugo returned to world of cooking at Le Coquillage, the Michelin-starred family restaurant in Cancale.