Nominees in the Grand de Demain de l'Année 2026 category

Four chefs are competing for the title of Grand de Demain de l'Année 2026, awarded by Gault&Millau to a singular talent on the French gastronomic scene. They all have one thing in common: their focus on the terroir.

Yuna Lamarque Published on 10/6/25 at 6:22 PM

Among the six trophies awarded at the annual Gault&Millau gala, the Grand de Demain de l'Année prize rewards those chefs who are reinventing cuisine. Each of them highlights fine products, techniques acquired over a prestigious career and a terroir dear to his or her heart.

Kévin Garcia, of the restaurant La Table du Cap Estel in Èze

Born in Alsace, Kévin Garcia now heads up the kitchens at the Hôtel Cap Estel (3 toques) on the Côte d'Azur. After training at the hotel management school, he joined the staff of chef Jean-Yves Schillinger, then the kitchens of Joël Robuchon and Frédéric Anton. He then decided to leave Paris and move closer to the sea, becoming head chef at Cap Estel. Kévin Garcia imagines a simple, gourmet and instinctive cuisine, cradled by the hotel's land and sea treasures.

See Gault&Millau's review of La Table du Cap Estel
See Kévin Garcia's Instagram account

Loïs Bée, from La Table restaurant in Orléans

Alongside Christophe Hay, Loïs Bée brings her art to Orléans. In their restaurant La Table (3 toques), the chef brings to life precise, creative local cuisine. After several experiments, Loïs met Christophe Hay. Their collaboration led to the takeover of La Table, where the chef develops a menu of exceptional products from trusted producers.

See Gault&Millau's review of La Table - Christophe Hay et Loïs Bée
See Loïs Bée's Instagram account

Kévin De Porre, from restaurant Fario in Céret

After training at Ferrandi in Paris, Kévin De Porre joined the kitchens of the Shangri-La Paris, then the Plaza Athénée. In 2024, the chef opened his own establishment in Céret, near the Spanish border, a place that reflects his memories. Here, he pays homage to the produce and cuisine of the Catalan terroir, between the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees, with recipes that oscillate between tradition and modernity.

See Gault&Millau's review of Fario
See Kévin De Porre's Instagram account

Quentin Pellestor-Veyrier, of restaurant Maison Pellestor Veyrier in Colomiers

Chef-owner of the eponymous restaurant, Quentin Pellestor-Veyrier (3 toques) has had a distinguished career with some of the world's finest brigades: Franck Putelat, Gilles Goujon, Alain Ducasse, Bernard Pacaud... He was also sous-chef at Le Meurice and then at Le Shangri-La Paris. Since early 2025, the chef has imagined his own universe, featuring exceptional products and flavors from the Occitan region, in the heart of nature.