Laurent SOUSTELLE

Chef de service : L'Oustau de Baumanière A native of the Camargue, Laurent Soustelle—who has served as dining room manager at L’Oustau de Baumanière (5 toques) since 2015 and trained under Paul Bocuse—forms a close-knit partnership with chef Glenn Viel.

Presentation

It all began very early on. At age 14, Laurent Soustelle loved watching his uncle, who worked in the industry, and would slip behind the bar at every First Communion or family celebration. A native of Aigues-Mortes, this Camargue native with a lilting accent earned his CAP, BEP, and vocational baccalaureate at the Émile-Peytavin High School in Mende, followed by an additional certification in sommelier studies in Nîmes, before gaining experience in several restaurants in his hometown.

The Paul Bocuse School

He then joined Paul Bocuse’s restaurant in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or, where he rose through the ranks from demi-chef de rang to chef de rang. He then took on his first managerial role as maître d’ at Michel Kayser’s Restaurant Alexandre (4 toques) in Garons, before joining L’Oustau de Baumanière as maître d’ in 2006.

At Baumanière, a Close Partnership with Glenn Viel

In 2015, the arrival of chef Glenn Viel coincided with his appointment as dining room manager at L’Oustau de Baumanière (5 toques). Between the two men, every new dish becomes a subject for reflection—on the presentation, the ingredients, and the narrative shared with the guest. “You can be a very good maître d’hôtel, but without the synergy of your team, we’re not much of anything! ” Deeply attached to the Charial family’s establishment, he sees in it “a sense—however small—of contributing to the family’s history.” Committed to passing on his knowledge, he regularly visits hospitality schools in the region and mentors the many interns hosted at Baumanière.