Gérard BARBIN

He is both soul and worker, composer and pianist, head and hands. In Yannick Alléno's various establishments , he is the executive chef who has become indispensable. And if he hasn't been willing to step into the limelight, we have to say itloud and clear: Gérard Barbin is one of France's finest chefs.

Apprenticeship with France's greatest chefs

Born in Sallanches in 1983 into a family of restaurateurs, Gérard Barbin's path to excellence was a long one. He began at the bottom of the ladder with stints at Carrier in Chamonix and Jean-Pierre Jacob's Bateau Ivre. He was passionate about cooking and interested in pastry-making. To try his hand at everything, he went on to work for Pierre Hermé, Potel et Chabot and Guy Martin at Le Grand Véfour.

But for a long time now, through his reading, his experiences and his predilections, he has had a project in mind: to work with Yannick Alléno. "Everything he did interested me, and I dreamed of joining him. I sent him my CV, and he got back to me. I'm not sure what caught his attention-my eclectic background, my motivation, maybe both. "

A complementary duo in the service of French haute gastronomy

This meeting was decisive for both men. Today, we can say that they have found each other. Yannick, the sunny one, the media man, the visionary , but also the hard worker and peerless technician - qualities perfectly cultivated by Gérard Barbin. "Yannick was leaving Le Meurice and taking over Ledoyen. That's when the adventure began. A key moment for both of them. It's 2015: Yannick Alléno is named Chef of the Year, and within two years, the osmosis between the two men is complete, with five toques at both establishments, in Paris - Ledoyen and Courchevel - 1947. their way of working is crystal clear, and when Yannick talks about the man who has become his alter ego over the years, it's respect and trust that dominate: "Gérard is going to spend two weeks there", and that's all there is to it.tel de Pavie, now with four toques, in Courchevel, or in Paris, but also in Dubai, the bolts are tight and everything is under control.

Gérard Barbin, who started out as head chef, is now executive chef in charge of the four top restaurants managed by the AllénoGroup . It's a perfect alliance of two complementary personalities:"He gives me a lot of his confidence while passing on a lot to me", says Gérard of his mentor. And the value of work is obviously paramount when it comes to putting an idea on stage, fine-tuning a recipe, and achieving that degree of excellence that verges on perfection. Dishes like Burgaud's duck , marinated for a week with blackcurrant berries, fig leaves and juniper, crossed last year, or this year's lamb in an unbelievable and totally new way .e's lambin an incredible and totally new declension, a veritable technical feat with revealed flavors, take the idea of triumphant French haute cuisine to a whole new level.

These dishes deserve to be co-signed: Yannick Alléno for the vision, Gérard Barbin for the execution and interpretation, a work of a virtuoso, if not a magician. M. E.