Christophe Hay in 5 dishes

Christophe Hay's culinary universe is instantly recognizable. The chef, who closed La Maison d'à Côté to move into his new Fleur de Loire setting in Blois in the summer of 2022, is first and foremost a fan of freshwater fish, which he feels are too often scorned. Highly independent, he has his own vegetable garden, wagyu beef farm and even a truffle farm he acquired a few years ago. The Gault&Millau Chef of the Year 2021 reveals the story of five dishes with a strong identity, still served at Fleur de Loire.

Caviar sélection de Sologne

In the past, Christophe Hay wasn't a big fan of Sologne caviar, which he found earthy, even muddy. But in 2014, on his return to the Centre region, he discovered caviar from the Hennequart family and completely changed his mind. "We work directly with them and they pass the sturgeon in clear, purified water, so we get an egg with notes of hazelnut and very buttery. The quality is truly exceptional! We call our dish "Caviar selection" because they select the finest eggs for us and mature them for three months. It'sa product that we offer à la carte all year round, and that we change with the seasons, particularly in terms of the vegetal part," explains Christophe Hay.

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Fleur de Loire black truffle

"Three years ago, I gave myself a little Christmas present," smiles the Fleur de Loire chef. "I bought the truffle field from Jean-Pierre Chaussard, who is my friend and also our beekeeper.He planted this three-hectare truffle field between 2000 and 2015, with holm and golden oaks, which means we have a constant harvest over the years."This truffle farm, located in Cheverny, just 15 km from the restaurant, allows Christophe Hay and his teams to harvest the truffles at maturity and not depend on anyone. "Here again, it's the vegetal part around the truffle that evolves according to the years and what we harvest in our garden of more than a hectare," the chef emphasizes.

Fleur de Loire

Carp à la Chambord

"I have a great history with this fish," he laughs. "When I was younger, I was a junior champion angler in the Centre region and I've always loved this soft, delicate fish," he recalls. On his return to the area, Christophe Hay met Sylvain Arnoult, a Loire fisherman, who informed him that carp were very abundant in the river and that it would be a good idea to cook them. "Freshwater fish sometimes have a bad reputation. But Loire carp are neither earthy nor muddy, because the Loire bed is made of sand and pebbles", he explains. Although it has evolved over time, Carpe à la Chambord has been Christophe Hay's flagship dish since 2015, and many customers come mainly to taste it.

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Wagyu beef from our own farm

The Fleur de Loire chef likes to be self-sufficient and, above all, to know where his produce comes from. So, since 2018, Christophe Hay has had his own herd of wagyu beef in Sologne. "The breed was imported to France in the 1980s. I took 27 of them in 2018 and entrusted them to dairy farmer friends who take great care of them. They are reared for 36 months on grassland, then spend their last six months in a box to be massaged with mechanical brushes accompanied by music.These conditions and the fact that they are fed flax will help them relax and develop that coveted marbled side", explains the chef. "It's a dish that follows us according to the season and whose vegetable garnish evolves", he sums up.

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Loire catfish

"Catfish is a fish that has long been denigrated through ignorance," begins this fishing enthusiast. "Theadvantage is that it's a vertebra fish, so it has no bones, and presents a soft texture." Christophe Hay offers catfish with garden corn, whose provenance is also exceptional. "Four years ago, I went to Peru and met chef Virgilio Martinez.As two great garden enthusiasts, we chatted and in the end, he surprised me by preparing several small vegetable shoots, which I was able to replant on our fertile lands on the banks of the Loire," he enthuses. "These corn plants have a really special taste and texture. "

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