Didier DENIS

Chef : 1 restaurant Chef Didier Denis is at the helm of Hostellerie Bourguignonne, a traditional inn between Beaune and Chalon.

Presentation

I come from a family of bakers and caterers from Chalon-sur-Saône," explains Didier Denis. We're three brothers, one of whom went into pastry-making, the other into baking. That left me with cooking, which suited me very well", he says, entering the Dijon hotel school. In 1979, once he had obtained his CAP and BEP diplomas, and had been released from his military obligations, the young man took his first steps at the Café de la Paix in Lyon. " The owners' son was a manager at the Hilton in Montreal, and I joined him there in 1980. Motivated, he continued his Quebec adventure at the Four Seasons until 1983.

Back in France, Didier Denis attended the Lenôtre culinary arts school in Plaisir (Yvelines), then joined Michel Rostang's team at his restaurant in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, where he finished as second chef.

In 1985, Didier Denis felt ready. He decided to open his own establishment in his home region, in Chalon-sur-Saône. But his ambition was to "grab a few chef's hats" , and he felt cramped. In 1996, the chef set his sights on the Hostellerie Bourguignonne, between Beaune and Chalon. "With its 130 years of history, the establishment had fallen into disrepair," he says, motivating Didier Denis to write a new chapter and turn it around. "It's now a beautiful inn. We organize receptions and cooking classes. At weekends, we offer a gastronomic menu, but during the week and summer, we're moving towards more bistronomic cuisine." Gault&Millau quickly awarded him a handsome 14/20 rating, crowned him chef of the Burgundy region in 2005, and presented him with the Tradition d'Aujourd'hui Bourgogne trophy in 2021.

B. G.