Frédéric DOUCET

Chef : 2 restaurants

Presentation

Ever since his early childhood, Frédéric Doucet has always wanted to take over the family business, the Hôtel de la Poste, in Charolles. “In the kitchen, I was fascinated by how ingredients were transformed, and I loved getting my hands dirty.”

In 1994, he went on a fifteen-day internship with Pierre Orsi in Lyon: “I needed reassurance that I’d made the right choice, and it worked.” The young man then enrolled at Lycée Lesdiguières, the hospitality and tourism school in Grenoble, with the goal of returning to work with Pierre Orsi: “I was in awe of the discipline of his kitchen staff.”

After his military service, he was recommended by the Lyon-based chef to Paul Bocuse: “I joined his restaurant in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or as a commis. The standards were very high, but I hung in there.” In 1997, Frédéric Doucet continued his tour of the great restaurants by joining Troisgros, then located across from the Roanne train station. “There I discovered a wonderful family legacy—a cuisine based on ingredients and acidity, with a rarity of modernity and elegance.”

In 1999, his father called him in to help out: “I went back home to fill in, and as it turns out, I’m still here…” Before taking over the family business—and to ensure a smooth transition—the young man trained alongside his parents: “I learned how to manage a restaurant and a team, how to read a balance sheet, and, over time, I forged my own culinary identity.”

Finally ready, he took the helm of the kitchen in 2007 and renamed the restaurant Maison Doucet. Gault&Millau named him Young Talent of 2009. “What I really enjoy is working with regional spirits: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, but also vermouth and Burgundian whiskey.” In 2017, he opened the Bistrot du Quai, right across from his restaurant. As a crowning achievement, he received the 2019 Gault&Millau d’Or Grand Est, and his score has continued to rise (16.5/20 since 2022), bringing him closer to the 4-toque level, which he would ultimately achieve two years later. “I grew up on restaurant guides; awards motivate me—they make me want to improve and push the boundaries even further.”

B. G.