Karl WIDMER
Chef : 1 restaurant Karl Widmer is the young chef of the Limpide restaurant in Lambersart. His sincere, inventive cuisine focuses on seafood products and precise sauces, combining taste and conviviality.
The son of waiters, Karl Widmer grew up above the restaurants where his mother worked. Catering was part of his daily life, but not part of his ambitions: " It was a difficult job, and I couldn't see myself in it. "
From pastry to haute gastronomy
After a brief stint in construction and pastry-making, he eventually turned to cooking. at the age of 19, he obtained his CAP (vocational training certificate), followed by a second apprenticeship at Le 407 in Faches-Thumesnil, where he discovered competition by reaching the final of the Best Apprentice of France competition: " I was up against young people who had come from Marcon's, for example, so for me it was impressive. "
However, the seminal experience remains that of Le Val d'Auge in Bondues, with Christophe Hagnerelle (3 toques). " The basis of my cooking comes from Val d'Auge. We changed the menu every day, I saw an incredible variety of products, we even baked our own bread! It was a real challenge. "
Paris, back to his roots, and the opening of Limpide
In 2020, Karl joined Yannick Alléno (5 toques) at the Pavillon Ledoyen. There, he learns rigor, but the pandemic interrupts the adventure. He continued at Damien Laforce's Le Braque, where he helped open the restaurant and discovered the behind-the-scenes aspects of entrepreneurship. The idea of going solo was born.
In January 2025, aged just 28, he opened Limpide in Lambersart, a 34-seat showcase. His cuisine, deliberately simple and sincere, seeks "the best taste from each product". Passionate about seafood, he claims a particular attachment to monkfish: " I work it like meat, served with a sauce poured in the dining room. "Line-caught fish, shellfish, squid, as well as meat and offal find their place on a demanding menu where sauces play a central role: up to fifteen per menu.
Today, Karl Widmer is also thinking about the overall experience: " What counts is that customers come back. "With his Sunday lunchtime " brasserie de luxe ", he seeks to combine high standards and conviviality. A clear balance.
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