Restaurant Manager of the Year 2027: Olivier Bikao Named by Gault&Millau

On Monday, November 9, at the 2026 Gault&Millau gala, Ilaria Cicero, Global Exhibition Director of SIGEP World and CEO of SIGEP Asia at SIGEP, presented Olivier Bikao, maître d’hôtel at the restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse (5 gold toques), with the 2027 Maître d’Hôtel of the Year award. This category honors those who coordinate dining room operations with a balance of elegance and precision. Three other talented individuals were nominated for this award: Yann Vayé, from La Chèvre d’Or in Èze; Laurent Soustelle, from L’Oustau de Baumanière in Les Baux-de-Provence; and Damian Sanchez Perez, from La Passagère in Juan-les-Pins.

“This award highlights the work of a wonderful team. Thank you to Chef Alain Ducasse, Chef Cédric Grolet, and Amaury Bouhours, who is my daily partner. Congratulations to everyone. I am very happy to have my name listed alongside such extraordinary people. Congratulations to Laurent, Damien, and Yann—three wonderful people I had the pleasure of meeting in Paris. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!” said the winner.

A Journey Guided by Excellence

A native of Colombes, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Olivier Bikao spent his entire youth in the Paris region. Trained at Ferrandi, he began his career at age 16 at the restaurant Les Vendanges in the^14th arrondissement, before discovering the world ofAlain Ducasse at the Drugstore Publicis. He then continued his career at the Plaza Athénée, where he learned the high standards of a top-tier establishment alongside Denis Courtiade. In 2010, he joined Frédéric Vardon for the opening of 39V in the^8th arrondissement as a head waiter, before becoming its director.

In October 2020, Olivier Bikao took over as director of the restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse. Located in the heart of Rue de Rivoli, he forms—along with Chef Amaury Bouhours and Pastry Chef Cédric Grolet —a trio of thirty-somethings who are breathing new life into Paris’s premier luxury hotel. Together, they embody a vision of service where precision, excellence, and attention to each guest are at the heart of the experience. Deeply committed to mentoring and supporting young talent, Olivier Bikao is an ambassador for the Ô Service and Talents de Demain associations, a member of the extended board of the Trophée de maître d’hôtel, and is also actively involved with the charity Croq’l’espoir.