Jeanne SATORI

Jeanne Satori, an environmental engineer who has transitioned to the kitchen, co-directs the kitchen at de:ja in Strasbourg alongside David Degoursy. The duo received the “Grand de Demain” award from the Gault&Millau Tour Grand Est.

Presentation

It’s easy to imagine it confined to the dining room. But that would be forgetting that at de:ja, every dish is born out of a dialogue. While David Degoursy oversees the cooking, Jeanne Satori is involved in every stage of the creative process, from the initial idea to the tasting that gives a dish the final approval. The “Grand de Demain” award, therefore, belongs equally to both of them.

From Mulhouse to Applied Ecology

A native of Mulhouse, Jeanne Satori first earned a degree in environmental engineering. This background—rare in the culinary world—now informs the restaurant’s entire philosophy. Together with her partner, she draws inspiration from a handful of visionary chefs rather than from the kitchens of high-end restaurants. “ We were greatly inspired by the approach of certain chefs we were fortunate enough to meet in their restaurants, such as Bertrand Grébaut at Septime and René Redzepi at Noma. That was the starting point of our journey in creating de:ja.”

Staying Free from Influence

The couple made a radical choice: to skip the internship phase. “We wanted to shield ourselves from fixed ideas, working methods, or even culinary trends that would undoubtedly have influenced us. We wanted to be free of all that before we launched our venture. ” After stints at Maïence and then at Le Bœuf in Sessenheim, and a long period of maturation during the pandemic, de:ja opened its doors in Strasbourg in 2021.

Territory rather than terroir

She emphasizes the distinction: “I’d say that today, our cuisine is more about the territory than the terroir. In other words, it’s a cuisine deeply rooted in its region and environment, but one that doesn’t draw all its inspiration from the terroir. ” Wild-harvested ingredients, small local farmers, and respect for the environment: the engineer finds her original convictions reflected on the plate. In the dining room, she extends this ethos with pairings that highlight natural winemaking and biodynamic practices.

Two toques in 2022, a Trophée Terroir d’Exception in 2024, a third toque in 2025: her journey has already been remarkable. As for Jeanne Satori, she refuses to look too far ahead. “ The future? We don’t think about it. We move forward freely, without overthinking things, without making plans, knowing that our thoughts and desires will evolve over time.”