2026 Gala: The 28 Nominees Announced, Date and Venue of the Awards Ceremony

The 2026 Gault&Millau Gala will take place on November 9 at the Carrousel du Louvre. The 28 nominees for the 2027 national awards will be announced this Monday, September 28, at the Atelier du Goût.

Émilie Lesur Published on 28/09/2026 at 18:06

“Food is Art”: That is the theme of the 2026 Gault&Millau Gala, which will take place on November 9 at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris. “We’re going to bring gastronomy, art, and creativity together for one evening,” explained Patrick Hayoun, CEO of Gault&Millau. For this edition, which celebrates the connections between gastronomy and creativity, Gault&Millau unveiled on Monday, September 28, at the Atelier du Goût, the 28 nominees for the 2027 National Awards, as well as several new features that will highlight the evening.

It’s official: the 2026 Gault&Millau Gala will take place on Monday, November 9, at the Carrousel du Louvre, in the heart of Paris. For this year’s event, chefs, restaurateurs, and professionals from the French culinary world will gather for an evening dedicated to the talents and leading figures who bring cuisine to life today. The ceremony and cocktail reception will bring together nearly 1,600 guests at this iconic Parisian venue.

The 28 nominees unveiled at the Atelier du Goût

A highly anticipated moment for the industry, the awards ceremony is one of the highlights of the Gault&Millau Gala. Staying true to its “nominees” format, the Yellow Guide unveiled the 28 chefs and professionals in the running for the 2027 National Awards on Monday, September 28, at the Atelier du Goût. The winners in each category will be announced on the evening of the Gala, November 9, at the Carrousel du Louvre. Until then, the suspense remains.

A special No-Low trophy alongside the sommeliers

New to this edition, the Sommelier category now features a special “No-Low” trophy. Behind this term—a portmanteau of “no alcohol” and “low alcohol”—lies a major trend: non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverages. Dealcoholized wines, kombucha, herbal teas, crafted juices, and non-alcoholic cocktails now have their rightful place at the table. They require just as much expertise as the most classic food-and-wine pairings, and this new award recognizes that work. “We have magnificent terroirs in France, and of course we support all our winemakers. It’s just that there’s a broader aspect to it: making the most of the terroir. The people we’ve nominated are imaginative. They have mastered the art of pairing their terroir with an alcohol-free or very low-alcohol beverage. This could be beer, cider, or various fermented fruit-based drinks, for example, by drawing on their region’s resources. “This is also a new way for Gault&Millau to highlight the terroir through this new award, ” added Marc Esquerré, director of research, during the press conference.

Three New Awards to Celebrate Creativity

The awards also expand to include other dimensions of gastronomy with three new trophies: Illustrator of the Year, Restaurant Designer of the Year, and Bottle/Label Designer of the Year. This is a way to highlight those who help shape the gastronomic experience, from a dining room’s decor to a bottle’s visual identity.

A Dinner Curated by Jérôme Banctel

Another highlight of the evening will be the gala dinner, bringing together 600 guests. For this year’s event, Jérôme Banctel will be at the helm of the kitchen. As chef of the restaurant Le Gabriel (4 toques) at La Réserve Paris, he distinguished himself by being among the chefs nominated for the title of Chef of the Year 2024—a recognition that attests to his current standing in the French culinary landscape. His cuisine, a blend of technical precision and creativity, promises an experience worthy of the occasion.

A big thank you to our partners Hublot, Sainte Joie, La French, de Buyer, ePackPro, Italian Trade Agency-SIGEP, Robur, Nespresso, Sysco, Jinchan, Pacoclean, Nivers, Kaviari, and Unima for their support.