Aurélie PETIT

Head waiter : 1 restaurant Aurélie Petit, Jeune Talent en Salle Hauts-de-France 2023, may have hesitated for a while about cooking, but she seems more than ever to have service under her skin at Sur Mer, in Merlimont.

Presentation

Aurélie Petit was not immediately destined for service. Her first inclination came from a personal taste: "I loved cooking", and a teacher in secondary school advised her to take this path. The young girl entered the Lycée du Marquenterre, in Rue, as a seconde professionnelle (vocational second year), and opted for the hotel and catering course. By the end of the fourth year, her vocation became clearer: "I preferred the dining room".

In 2001, fresh from her studies, Aurélie Petit went to work at the Café des Sports in Le Touquet: "That's where I really learned how to work in a brasserie." She stayed there until 2007, before moving on to various Touquet establishments: Le Némo, then L'Escale (the restaurant at Le Touquet airport), Le Paris Plage, Le Flavio and the Pinocchio pizzeria.

In 2022, she met multi-talented chef Alexandre Gauthier, who hired her at Grand'Place Café in Montreuil-sur-Mer. In May 2023, Sur Mer opened its doors, and Aurélie Petit became head chef. It's a place that's tailor-made for the woman who's always keen to make the most of encounters: "As soon as it's busy and lively, I love it! I can't see myself anywhere else but in the dining room with my customers" Clearly, the winner of the Jeune Talent en Salle Hauts-de-France 2023 trophy has not stolen her place.

T. L.