Rudy Villien Named “Grand de Demain” at the Gault&Millau Tour of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Rudy Villien, chef at Le Charlemagne restaurant in Pernand-Vergelesses, received the 2027 Grand de Demain award during the Gault&Millau Tour Bourgogne-Franche-Comté ceremony.
“The Charlemagne project was a childhood dream. Ever since I started working there as a part-timer 14 years ago, I’ve always told myself that it had to be this restaurant and no other. ” On Monday, June 29, at the Château de Saulon, Rudy Villien, chef of the Charlemagne in Pernand-Vergelesses, was named “Grand de Demain 2027” during the Gault&Millau Tour awards ceremony. The title was presented by Juliette Champion de Robur, coming just two years after he took the helm of this iconic Côte-d’Or restaurant.
An opportunity not to be missed
“When I had the chance to join the kitchen staff, I jumped at it. And then another opportunity arose when I was able to take over this restaurant in 2024: I didn’t hesitate. ” Rudy Villien had already been dreaming of this rise to prominence back in 2012, when he would come to work extra shifts at the Charlemagne. Living right next door, he was well acquainted with how the place operated and with the chef, Laurent Peugeot. “When I took over the restaurant, I was 28 years old. It’s a prestigious establishment, and my partner and I were truly eagerly anticipated in the region. I work every day to give my best and bring joy to people, and awards like these remind us that we’re on the right track.”
Today, two years later, the chef says he feels “liberated in his kitchen.” When he took the reins at the Charlemagne, he wanted to breathe new life into the restaurant. While the decor was completely redesigned to mark this renewal, the Japanese identity of the cuisine has been preserved, while opening up to new Thai and Korean influences. This evolution reflects his desire to assert a new vision without breaking with the restaurant’s DNA.
A Promising Career Path
The young Rudy Villien, then 17 years old and a standout in the kitchen, never would have imagined that one day he’d become the chef at the Charlemagne. While still studying hospitality, he already had a resume packed with big names.
Eager to get started in the industry, he added another year of study to his BEP and vocational baccalaureate to earn his professional certificate, which he completed at the CIFA Jean Lameloise in Chagny (Saône-et-Loire) while serving an apprenticeship at the Hôtellerie du Cèdre in Beaune. In 2016, he remained in the Côte-d’Or and secured a position at the Château de Gilly in Gilly-lès-Cîteaux. After a stint at the Château de Champlong in Villerest (Loire), he returned to the Hôtellerie du Cèdre as a chef de partie, before joining Christophe Ledru in 2019 for the opening of 428 in Savigny-lès-Beaune. “I was stuck in a rut at the Cèdre; it was a great opportunity to advance to the position of sous-chef.”
In June 2021, Laurent Peugeot told him he was looking for a sous-chef at the Charlemagne. “I told him, ‘I’ll be there in 10 minutes.’” ” And so he honed his skills there for four years, during which time a leadership transition took place. Rudy Villien became executive chef at the Charlemagne in January 2024: a dream come true.
