Harry LESTER

Presentation

In another life, Harry Lester was a set painter for British television. One evening, in a London gastro-pub where he was feasting on scallops and pea risotto, he offered his services in the kitchen... He was told he could start the next day! "There were two of us, there was no hiding it, it was my baptism of fire."

The self-taught chef learned his trade quickly and well. In 2003, with two partners, he opened his first restaurant in London, The Anchor & Hope. "The press was talking about us.Located between two theaters, we were always fully booked, so we were doing really well!"

After a few years of amassing a small nest egg, Harry Lester decided to change his life with his wife Alexandra, crossing the Channel to settle in the Haute-Loire. They bought the Auberge de Chassignolles, in the small village of the same name. Once again, the restaurant was a success, being fully booked almost every evening in season.

Then, with their two children, they decided to move closer to the city and settle in Clermont-Ferrand. In 2013, the couple bought and revitalized Le Saint-Eutrope, a neighborhood eatery offering authentic cuisine that sublimates the best local produce."I was looking to do a local and traditional cuisine with local products. That's how I came across two communities of Vietnamese and Portuguese who grow their own produce here! As a result, my cuisine can take on Southern or Asian accents with lemongrass and chillies grown in the region!"Gault&Millau awarded him 1 toque and the Tradition d'Aujourd'hui Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2023 trophy.

F.H.