Daniel et Denise, Joseph Viola's traffic jam at Lyon Part-Dieu station

After working with such culinary luminaries as Michel Guérard at Les Prés d'Eugénie, chef Joseph Viola became Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2004. This status prompted him, along with his wife Françoise, to take the reins of Lyon's bouchon Daniel et Denise (2 toques). He follows in the footsteps of another MOF, Daniel Léron, and develops "canaille" cuisine. The idea is to revive and give pride of place to historic dishes, all in the convivial atmosphere typical of Lyon's bouchons.

The adventure continues with two other establishments, Daniel et Denise and a wine cellar. Today, the concept has reached a new stage, with a new location in Lyon's biggest train station. It's a challenge that brings Joseph Viola and his partner SSP (Select Service Partner), one of the world's leading caterers of transport services, a host of new features.

A Lyonnais bouchon at the heart of a station on the move

This new restaurant won't have the same name as the others. This franchise will be called Daniel et Denise Voyage. For Joseph Viola, this new setting will be "a mix between Lyonnais cuisine and the kind of cuisine you'd expect to find in a train station". This will include classics such as pâté en croûte, made with foie gras and sweetbreads, with which he was world champion in 2009, and a Lyonnais burger with a typical local sausage.

Despite the novelty of having an establishment open from 6am to 9:30pm, the chef's main concern remains customer satisfaction. "We always want to have fresh products, whether it's fries or the fish of the day. It 'simportant to maintain this high standard, to know that behind every plate there's a chef." In order to best organize the establishment, the teams had to adapt to the time slot. At Daniel and Denise Voyage, "the day is divided into four sequences. In the morning, there will be brioches, croissants, toast and jams. Lunchtime service will feature the full menu. The afternoon will be punctuated by sweet and savoury dishes, such aspoultry or salmon gravlax clubsandwiches. And in the evening, there will be a new classic service," explains the 2004 MOF.

For Joseph Viola, this adventure is also the continuation of a long history in Lyon. "20 years ago, my wife and I couldn't have imagined that we'd be able to do things like this. We're very lucky to have our daughter Julia, who steered this project, by our side, as well as our son Enzo, who joined the group in the kitchen." If you're curious to discover the chef's world, head to the Hall Béraudier at Lyon Part-Dieu station from the end of June.