Anthony VALLETTE

Chef : 1 restaurant Norman chef Anthony Vallette, who made his name in the Paris suburbs at the helm of Pouilly, is now flourishing in his native region.

Presentation

Born into a family of farmers in La Manche, Anthony Vallette admits unabashedly - for a change - that he was introduced to cooking by his grandmother. " And it's not just a fable created to embellish my press kit," he explains. His parents, who raised dairy cows near Saint-Lô, also tended apple orchards, the produce of which was bought by Elle et Vire, where his father was employed as a technician.

Stéphane Carrade, a key encounter

An average student, Anthony Vallette discovered his passion for cooking at family dinners. He joined the Lycée Hôtelier in Granville, worked at the Normandy in Deauville, and at Les Fermes de Marie, in Megève, before moving to German-speaking Switzerland: "It was in Wengen, at Le Regina, one of the finest restaurants in Switzerland at the time. I then worked at Château de Candie, in Chambéry, where I was second in command. "But it was during his next experience, at Chez Ruffet in Jurançon, that Anthony Vallette met his mentor: "With Stéphane Carrade, there were only two of us in the kitchen, and two in the dining room. It was a period that left a lasting impression on me, with a chef who taught me a lot and inspired me a lot."

Grand de Demain 2005, Pouilly-le-Fort

Now in his thirties, Anthony Vallette feels ready to settle down. "I wanted to move to the Paris region, to be at the heart of the action. At the end of 2003, I took over a declining business in Pouilly-le-Fort. I stayed there for almost ten years, just long enough to win a Grand de Demain trophy after just a few months, but the equipment was aging, we didn't own the walls, the supplies were in short supply, and I had no idea what to do.We needed a change of scene, so my wife and I took over L'As de Trèfle on the Côte de Nacre. It was a difficult start, as my cooking was in stark contrast to that of my predecessor, who was much more classical, but we have never regretted our choice. " In 2024, Gault&Millau rewarded his talent with a fine score of 14/20 and the Cuisine de la Mer, des Lacs et des Rivières Normandie trophy.