Eugénie BÉZIAT

Chef : 1 restaurant Eugénie Béziat, chef of the Espadon restaurant at the Ritz Paris, has built her career on culinary exploration and risk-taking. Her Italian-Spanish roots and her African upbringing now feed a modern, refined cuisine.

Presentation

Eugénie Béziat grew up in Gabon, Congo and Côte d'Ivoire until she was 18. She then moved to France to study languages. But already, on the university benches, she was imagining surprising combinations in the kitchen. The turning point came during a meal at Hélène Darroze's house. " I still remember the dish and the immense emotion I felt ". After passing her English/German DEUG, she went to Cologne to study catering for a year. " On my return, I signed a BTS and became an apprentice at Restaurant 7 in Toulouse. I spent two years seeing everything and catching up on my skills.

In 2006, she joined Michel Guérard at Les Prés d'Eugénie. " He was the only reference I had. A few months later, she joined the Brasserie du Stade Toulousain. " I wanted to work in cutlery and a fine brasserie. I had a great time there and progressed to the position of first chef de partie ". Michel Sarran spotted her and asked her to join him at his eponymous restaurant in Toulouse. She stayed for four years and became his second in command.

From performer to creator

In 2015, after several internships in fishmongery, tripe-making and at Maaemo in Oslo, Norway, she headed for Corsica. She settled in Saint-Florent, with Yann Le Scavarec, as sous-chef e then became Executive Chef at La Roya. " I spent three exceptional, intense years. I came out of those years as an executor, and I gained confidence in myself ". In 2018, she took over the restaurant La Flibuste, in the Marina Baie des Anges. "Kitchen, dining room; I had carte blanche".

In early 2022, Eugénie Béziat received a call: the Ritz wanted her. " I never thought of refusing. And so, since September 2023, the chef has been at the helm of L'Espadon, the palace's gourmet restaurant. Awarded a 16/20, her cuisine is inspired by her Spanish-Italian roots and her childhood in Africa.

Biography & Awards

1983 born in Libreville, Gabon

2001 arrived in France at the age of 18 and began a Diplôme d'études universitaires générales (DEUG) in English and German at the Faculté de lettres du Mirail in Toulouse

2003 commis de salle and commis de cuisine Restaurant Ambiance, Cologne, Germany

2006 commis at Michel Guérard's Prés d'Eugénie in Eugénie-les-Bains

2007 first part che e at Stéphane Garcia's Brasserie du Stade Toulousain

2012 che e de partie then second chef at Michel Sarran's restaurant in Toulouse

2015 sous-che e then Che e exécutive chez Yann Le Scavarec à La Roya à Saint-Florent

2018 Chef at La Flibuste Martin's restaurant in the Marina Baie des Anges, Villeneuve Loubet

2023 the Ritz announces that she will manage the Restaurant Espadon, the palace's gourmet restaurant