Clément GUILLEMOT

Chef : 1 restaurant From Paul Bocuse to Auberge Basque, Clément Guillemot has opened Choko Ona in Espelette. Awarded 3 Gault&Millau toques, this talented chef showcases local produce and trains young talent.

Presentation

Flora is not Basque, nor is Clément, but the region has adopted them. After a few years with Cédric Béchade at the Auberge Basque, they said to themselves: "We're so happy here, we'll never leave again." Naturally, they searched the region and found this "village canteen" where they had to do a lot, but with definite potential. The Dotation Jeunes Talents Gault&Millau will be the extra boost they need to get off to a good start .

An impressive culinary career

Of course, nothing is simple, but everything is possible. The pandemic that lasted two years, the difficulty of finding staff, now the difficulty of sourcing from producers already in great demand... But nothing holds them back, nothing frightens them .

Training tomorrow' s talent

Clément Guillemot followed a classic career path: Paul Bocuse, Gordon Ramsay, l'Hostellerie de Plaisance, where he met Flora and where Cédric Béchade noticed him. "It was he who called me back and asked me to join him at the Auberge Basque." They spent three years there before moving to Espelette. Now it's their turn to train young people, like Grégory Ménard and Lucile Voisin, and Brice Goeuriot and Margaux Le Baillif, who will in turn set up their own businesses. "It means that what we're doing makes sense, even if we miss them when they leave." Because in this house, as in Clément's dishes, there's a strong sense of sharing and of the local produce that grows on the plate. "I've worked a lot on sourcing, because it's essential to build a loyal network. "

Today, the restaurant is 80% full all year round, but the two young men have no intention of stopping there. Two toques as soon as they set up, the third this year, the chef is on a roll: "We've achieved all our objectives, but we're not going to stop there! "