Florent MARÉCHAU
Chef : Georges Blanc As executive chef of the gourmet restaurant Georges Blanc (5 Golden Toques), Florent Maréchau is a longtime member of the team—a gourmet who takes pleasure in combining high-end cuisine, local ingredients, and generous portions.
Presentation
A lover of the land who is not afraid of hard work or commitment. After earning a vocational diploma (BEP) and a vocational high school diploma (bac pro) in the early 2000s at the Châteauneuf vocational high school in Argenton-sur-Creuse, he began his career at age 19 in Corsica, at Marina Di Cavu, a gourmet restaurant near Bonifacio. This was followed by a few months at the Relais de Bracieux, near the Château de Chambord. There, he witnessed Chef Bernard Robin’s final days in the kitchen before his retirement, marking the end of his time in central France.
A Dedicated Chef
He then sent his résumé to various restaurants whose philosophy resonated with him. At Georges Blanc (5 Golden Toques), the young chef sensed that the chef’s sensibility aligned with his own. He described his future employer as “a lover of ingredients, who places paramount importance on the quality of his products and regional cuisine.” He landed the job.
Hired as a kitchen commis, he quickly rose through the ranks: chef de partie, then sous chef for eight years. Since 2018, he has been executive chef at the gourmet restaurant in Vonnas, a challenge he has been preparing to take on for years.
“No-frills” cuisine
At Georges Blanc, Florent Maréchau offers cuisine that is meaningful and generous: “We focus on quality ingredients and logical combinations—sometimes inspired by the past—but with a modern vision and plenty of generosity! ” The chef appreciates regional ingredients and French cuisine. His dishes are “no-frills.” “Not just a sauce, some meat, and an assortment of vegetables… We get straight to the point with excellent ingredients, proper cooking, and a superb sauce, à la Georges Blanc: so that nothing is missing, but without anything superfluous either! ”
Attuned to the seasons, he sometimes finds inspiration in the Village Blanc vegetable garden. A great lover of fresh herbs and “chlorophyll,” he knows that this attention to detail makes all the difference. Within the restaurant, he has worked in every department—the brasserie, events, fine dining, and the sandwich shop—while also managing the staff. He has thus gained experience in every aspect of the restaurant business.
Working closely with Frédéric Blanc and admiring the work of Georges Blanc, he creates regional dishes every day, following the guiding principles set by the restaurant’s owner. He infuses his cooking with his love of hunting and fishing, which, in his eyes, makes him “a true chef.”
