Benoît BOUTE
Sommelier at L'Essentiel in Attiches (2 toques), Benoît Boute embodies friendly, sincere and generous sommellerie.
Benoît Boute wasn't destined for a career in wine: " My father liked it, but nothing more. I'm the only one in the family in this field. "As a teenager, he turned to the hotel business because he liked the idea of contact: " I've always liked the idea of eating and the conviviality. We liked to get together at the table on Sundays ". After a BEP, a bac and then a BTS in hotel and restaurant management, he spent the season at La Bonne Étape in Château-Arnoux. at that time, wine was not yet a passion: " I did a lot of sport, judo, running... I didn't drink wine. "
A passion for wine
It was in 2009, at the Bastide de Gordes (2 toques), that he " fell into the pot ". As head waiter, he was quickly noticed by Maître d'hôtel Vincent Guergadi: " He asked me to be his assistant for the following season. Every Monday, we went to Gigondas or Vacqueyras. That's when I got hooked, and understood the importance of wine at the table. "The click was immediate and lasting.
In 2014, Benoît joined La Part des Anges in Lille, a Mecca for wine lovers: " There were three full-time sommeliers, and the wine list was a veritable bible! "Then he helped open Le Clarance (2 toques), where he juggled service and sommellerie: " It was sporty, but very formative! "This was followed by several openings: L'Arbre Voyageur in Lille, then L'Essentiel in Attiches, where he settled in permanently.
At the same time, he helped friends set up La Cave de Jules, in La Madeleine and Wambrechies: " There, I exploded with discoveries - rum, whisky, mezcal. I opened up my chakras. "He continues to pass on this curiosity through the wine evenings at L'Essentiel, which he hosts two Thursdays a month.
A return to L'Essentiel
In January 2025, Benoît returned to L'Essentiel full-time, just as the house was turning a corner: " We've lightened the concept: a bistronomic side, suggestions, a freer menu. It's livelier, more welcoming. "The restaurant now offers an extensive by-the-glass wine list
reflecting an uninhibited vision of sommellerie: " The feedback has been excellent. The kitchen has opened up, and so have the wines. We've gained in dynamism. "
Today, Benoît Boute relishes his position: " Eating and drinking makes me happy. I'm happy to come to work. "
