Guy SAVOY

Chef : 1 restaurant

Presentation

Guy Savoy likes to say that he is"a child of Gault&Millau". Fortunately, our academician doesn't hold grudges, because, like Alain Passard for example, we have never honored him as Chef of the Year. An anomaly of history, no doubt.

His mother, Marie-Léonie, ran a café in Bourgoin-Jallieu and, because she liked to please, she would prepare a few simple dishes for passing customers. He soon helped his mother in the kitchen, before moving to Roanne as an apprentice with the Troisgros brothers. There, he struck up a strong and sincere friendship with Bernard Loiseau. The two young men were about the same age, and had the same thirst for learning.

Lasserre, then L'Oasis, with Louis Outhier, enabled this workaholic to discover other culinary horizons, before settling permanently in Paris. In 1977, Claude Verger offered him the position of chef at La Barrière de Clichy. Three years later, he crossed the ring road and moved to rue Duret, where he quickly climbed to 18/20 in a restaurant the size of a handkerchief.

In 1987, he finally found the place that would allow him to reach his full potential. At number 18, Rue Troyon, Gilbert and Maguy Le Coze sold their Bernardin, which they had raised to 17/20, and moved to New York. Our future academician didn't miss the opportunity, renovated the premises and, for more than 25 years plus a move to Quai de Conti, ran a fabulous, marvellous, unforgettable table.

Since moving into the former Hôtel de la Monnaie at the end of 2015, Guy Savoy seems to be walking on water, as if he were out of the competition. Here, everything is luxurious, elegant and magnificent: this is a grand house, for a great chef who, for so many years, has simply won unanimous acclaim.