Summer chefs get out of the kitchen (well, almost)

Far from their professional kitchens, the great chefs change their tempo, but not their passion. In summer, they swap the precision of preparation for the pleasure of sharing. Paëlla with friends, grilled fish with your feet in the water, improvised salads on the way back from a walk... By the sea, in the mountains or in the garden, they cultivate a summer art de vivre made of wood fires, simple products and real moments.

Because on vacation, cooking is no longer about impressing, but about bringing people together. And this is undoubtedly what these chefs are looking for, each in their own way. As soon as they can, they rediscover the raw pleasure of cooking outdoors, with friends or family, for the simple joy of being together.

The call of the open sea, new-found freedom

in La Rochelle, Christopher Coutanceau (4 toques) doesn't just admire the sea. He dives in, rod in hand, in search of the day's fish. " When the restaurant is closed, we take the boat out to fish for sea bass or meagre, then barbecue vegetables from the garden: eggplants, basil, verbena, garlic... Good, simple, healthy things. "Far from the ceremonial of the restaurant, his vacation cooking is instinctive and sunny.

But his favorite moment is when he takes his family and a few friends to a sandbank that's only discovered at low tide. " We set off in our bathing suits, sit down for a picnic, have a swim, the kids play in the natural pools... And when the tide comes in, we pack up. "A timeless interlude, where everything is shared, even the shells collected for the aperitif.

And then there are the simple pleasures: " I love ice creams and sorbets. In the afternoon, or for dessert, it's fun, joyful... it's one of my little pleasures. "Regressive pleasures that Florent Pietravalle, chef at La Mirande (4 toques) in Avignon, extends to his own children: " We make pistachio ice cream with custard, pistachio paste and a little fleur de sel, then we whirl it up and eat it together. "

Fire, the world and generous tables

At Florent Pietravalle's, summer rhymes with paella. A big, beautiful one, cooked over an open fire in a garden, like the last time " at a winegrower friend's place ": " There were forty of us. A wood fire, a wide frying pan, good rice, not too thick, well seared on the bottom... I love it. It's festive, it brings people together, and when it's good, it's a treat. "

The Avignon-based chef learned this dish in Spain from local chefs. " Over there, every village, every family has its own version. In Catalonia, they add garlic, rabbit and snails. I like shellfish. With langoustines, it works really well. "

Christophe Hay, chef at Fleur de Loire (4 toques) in Blois, also has a taste for fire. For him, vacations are inextricably linked with outdoor cooking. " We're cooped up all year round, so in summer, I want to be outside, with the kids and family. "No charcoal, just wood, gathered on the spot. And above all, poultry in crapaudine, a souvenir from his school days: " A good Racan chicken, opened from the back. A homemade marinade of rapeseed oil, Orléans mustard, citrus fruits, garlic, fresh herbs... And barbecued on the skin, for an incredible crispness. "A little zucchini in flower, white eggplant, a few tomatoes, a hint of oregano: summer on the plate.

Mountains, silence, childhood memories

For Charles Coulombeau, chef at La Maison dans le Parc (3 toques) in Nancy, summer is synonymous with disconnection. " I go to Auvergne with my daughter. We hike, picnic in the mountains, as far away from the phone as possible. No computer, no e-mails: a real digital huis clos. "The luxury of silence, and that of the little things: a backpack filled with homemade sandwiches, travel cakes... and always that brownie she adores, revisited by the chef: " I prepare a very dark chocolate pastry, with a little miso, soy sauce and maple syrup. Not much sugar, but the bitterness and salt give the illusion of sweetness. "Compact, intense, almost like a cereal bar. Ideal for swallowing peaks.

Back at home, he returns to the recipes of his childhood. "In summer, I often make a big meal at lunchtime, then something light in the evening. I love gazpachos. "Especially the cucumber gazpacho, which he's been making since he was a child: cottage cheese, Greek yoghurt, raw garlic and mint leaves. " It was one of the first recipes my parents let me make. I found it in Mickey's Journal, I think, " he laughs. Today, he adds his Japanese inspirations to this feast, with, for example, an ultra-fresh fish ceviche with a touch of green curry, soy sauce and sesame oil... A cuisine of the everyday, infused with memories and elsewhere.

From the high mountains to the edge of the plate

Further south, on the heights of Lake Annecy, Jean Sulpice (4 toques at theAuberge du Père Bise) rarely gets off his bike... except to cook. at home, the chef favors simple, generous, shareable dishes. " What I like is to cook humbly, with the aim of pleasing myself. "A leg of poultry marinated in a mixture of fromage blanc, mustard and spices, barbecued romaine with a few radishes and croutons for crunch, or a simple avocado with a pretty seasoning of herbs, lemon and spices are enough to keep him happy.

As for Sébastien Bras(Le Suquet, 4 toques), he sometimes leaves the mountains of Aubrac for the shores of the Mediterranean, where he too indulges his heart's desire to cook. " Red tuna, olives from Lucca, a white wine from Hérault... or barbecued pork chops with a spicy sweet and sour sauce. "Here too, simplicity becomes a celebration, especially when it's anchored in a place, a light, a memory.

Everywhere, the same impulse: to rediscover a form of freedom. A cuisine of fire, of the open air, of the moment. Less technique, more instinct. Less training, more sharing. And the undiminished pleasure of truly feeding those we love.