Nominees in the Cook of the Year 2026 category

A much-anticipated category every year, the Chef of the Year 2026 award is presented to a chef who is shaping the culinary landscape of today and tomorrow. Discover the nominees without further ado.

Yuna Lamarque Published on 10/6/25 at 6:10 PM

Six categories distinguish the most promising talents on the gastronomic scene, identified by Gault&Millau. Four chefs have stood out for their creativity, vision and expertise, and are now in the running for the Cuisinier de l'Année 2026 trophy.

Stéphanie Le Quellec, of La Scène restaurant in Paris

Chef Stéphanie Le Quellec is one of France's leading gastronomic figures. Highly publicized for her participation in Top Chef, she was also chef at the Prince of Wales. Today, she heads up La Scène, her restaurant opened in 2020, which has since been awarded 4 toques by Gault&Millau. Her cuisine is recognized as luxurious and masterful, while offering great sensibility.

See the Gault&Millau review of La Scène
See Stéphanie Le Quellec's Instagram account

César Troisgros, of Troisgros restaurant in Ouches

César Troisgros is the worthy heir to a long line of restaurateurs. After studying at the Institut Paul Bocuse, he trained in several countries around the globe: Spain, the United States, Brazil... Finally, it was in France that he settled, in the family's unmissable Troisgros restaurant. Now based in Ouches, César's cuisine is contemporary, sustainable and committed, earning him an 18/20 rating in the Guide Jaune.

See the Gault&Millau review of Troisgros
See César Troisgros' Instagram account

Emmanuel Pilon, of Le Louis XV restaurant in Monaco

Born into a family of restaurateurs, the chef admits that his passion for food has been forged over the years. After his first experience as sous-chef at Le Louis XV in 2009, Emmanuel Pilon went on to work in a number of prestigious establishments. Alain Ducasse contacted him again, and asked him to take charge of the kitchens at the Louis XV, which has been awarded five toques. in Monaco, Emmanuel Pilon revisits Mediterranean cuisine with a resolutely contemporary and refined approach.

See Gault&Millau's review of Le Louis XV - Alain Ducasse
SeeEmmanuel Pilon's Instagram account

Mathieu Guibert, of the Anne de Bretagne restaurant in La Plaine-Sur-Mer

After studying at the Lycée Hôtelier in Saint-Nazaire, Mathieu Guibert joined the brigades of Yannick Alléno, Christian Le Squer and then Franck Putelat. It was then that he discovered that the Anne de Bretagne restaurant was for sale. Seduced by the location, he moved in. Since then, Mathieu Guibert has been creating his own signature cuisine, rooted in a terroir full of iodine.