Julien MEDARD

Chef : 1 restaurant Julien Medard, chef at Maison Medard in Sologne, runs a gourmet restaurant with his wife Delphine, where local cuisine and creative dishes are the order of the day.

Presentation

Julien Medard grew up with the rigor and exacting standards typical of chefs of his generation. From an early age, he worked long hours to learn quickly and achieve his goal of becoming self-employed before the age of 30. "However, I don't reproduce this pattern in our restaurant. With Delphine, my wife and the restaurant's manager, that's not how we see our professional activity," he confides. Today, Maison Medard operates with two shifts, reasonable working hours and eight weeks' paid vacation, while maintaining a high level of gastronomy.

From Sologne to Alsace: the quest for know-how

As a teenager, Julien was destined to become a pastry chef. But during an internship in 3rd grade, he realized that the trade wasn't for him:"One tartlet is fun, two is okay, but you had to make four hundred. Not for me". So he turned to cooking, earning a CAP at the CFA in Blois, and began training at local restaurants. In 2006, he moved to Alsace, to the Relais de la Poste in Wantzenau, to work in a gourmet restaurant, before joining Chez Yvonne in Strasbourg, where he"really understood what it was like to be a chef".

Opening L'Ardoise du Marché: a 30-year dream

In 2010, Julien and Delphine decided to return to Sologne. They found a pizzeria to renovate and opened L'Ardoise du Marché in 2014."We misjudged the amount of work and started with quite a hole in the till," says Julien. Word-of-mouth is working, but the restaurant isn't making any money yet.

Maison Medard: ambitious local cuisine

To evolve, the couple completely rethought their concept: new menu, search for local producers, change of décor and name. After four years' work, Maison Medard was born, with an ambitious cuisine that respects local produce and the seasons. "Today, we're fully satisfied with the direction we've taken," explains Julien.

With a small 22-seat dining room and a compact kitchen, Julien Medard combines gastronomic excellence with the well-being of his teams. His philosophy: rigor and creativity in the kitchen, but kindness and balance for his staff. Maison Medard is now a recognized restaurant, where customers appreciate the quality, authenticity and commitment of its chefs.