Elisa COMBROUZE

Head sommelier : 1 restaurant Although she initially set her sights on cooking, Elisa Combrouze quickly developed a passion for wine and sommellerie, and is now fully at ease at Auberge Ostapé.

Presentation

Although Élisa Combrouze, winner of the Sommelier 2024 trophy for the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, didn't grow up in a family of restaurateurs, she remembers her parents' love of entertaining and fine dining. In fact, when she was a teenager, Élisa Combrouze naturally turned to the lycée hôtelier when it came to deciding where to go next:"I was originally going to study cooking. But I quickly felt more at ease in the dining room, with a real appetite for wine and sommelier work. I worked part-time for two years with Jean Coussau, at the Relais de la Poste in Magescq, which confirmed my choice of direction. It was a great experience .

Great experiences in Paris with the Ducasse Group

After several successful seasons at Hostellerie de Levernois and Saint-James, in Bouliac, the young woman applied,"somewhat by chance", to the Ducasse Group. She was offered a position as sommelier at Les Lyonnais, in Paris, then at Benoit. "Of course, we hadto have our choices validated by the group, but we had a certain freedom over our purchases. "

Fascinated by Emmanuel Renaut's personality and work, Elisa joined Flocons de Sel, in Megève, in 2019. "I wanted to be as close as possible to the chef and his cuisine. He's someone who shares a lot of his knowledge with his teams, who takes us on a journey to discover products and winegrowers. It's been a wonderful adventure, lasting almost three years .

First position as head sommelier at Auberge Ostapé

After several months spent in Norway with her partner Florent Valez, a chef, Élisa Combrouze was offered the position of head sommelier at the Auberge Ostapé, where chef John Argaud had just arrived. "Florent had worked with him in Paris, and it was a good opportunity to join this fine establishment as a couple.I manage around 450 references, with a strong South-West orientation of course. "