Christophe RAOUX

Chef : Le Royal - Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa A "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" since 2015, Christophe Raoux creates luxurious and generous cuisine at Le Royal, the restaurant at the Royal Champagne, overlooking the vineyards. He received the [trophy] from the Gault&Millau Tour Grand Est.

Presentation

It is often claimed—and sometimes with good reason—that MOF “cuisine” chefs struggle to move beyond pure technique and make room for emotion on the plate. This is certainly not the case for Christophe Raoux. After being awarded the blue-white-red collar in 2015—following an initial failure that had left a deep mark on him—the chef has let his own sensibility shine through ever since taking the helm of the kitchens at the Royal Champagne.

A Childhood Flavored by Wood-Fired Cooking

As a child, he was doted on by his grandmother and great-grandmother. He remembers his trips to Auvergne, the smell of wood-fired cooking, and hunting for snails. With a grandfather and great-grandfather who were butchers, and two uncles who worked as chefs abroad, he could hardly escape his destiny. He naturally enrolled in the culinary school in La Roche-sur-Yon, the town where he grew up.

Five Years at the Ducasse School

His career path took him to some of the most beautiful and prestigious establishments: the Château de Divonne, the Ritz, the Jules Verne, and the InterContinental in Paris. Like many of his peers, he was deeply influenced by his five years with the Alain Ducasse Group, from Benoit in New York to the Dorchester in London, and Rech in Paris. He never fails to mention his mentors: Guy Legay from his time at the Ritz, Guy Krenzer at Lenôtre, and Gérard Besson, the legendary Parisian chef.

A luxury hotel overlooking the vineyards

As the former executive chef of the Peninsula Paris, he knew he would be under scrutiny upon arriving at the Royal Champagne. This ultra-chic establishment, particularly popular with a wealthy American clientele, overlooks the Champagne vineyards. Since June 2026, it has been one of France’s thirty-three luxury hotels, and it is the first in the Grand Est region to receive this distinction.

Highly technical—you can’t change who you are—his cuisine relies on top-tier ingredients: blue lobster, Racan pigeon, and wild turbot from the Vendée. It remains, however, full of personality and generosity. With a score of 15/20 and three toques, Le Royal ranks among the finest restaurants in Champagne.