Maria TUPIN

Chef de service : 1 restaurant

Presentation

Born in northern Portugal, Maria Tupin has kept strong links with her native country, even though she was barely 1 year old when her parents moved to Aix-les-Bains. "I don't come from a family of restaurateurs - my father was a bricklayer and my mother a market gardener - but I've always appreciated this environment, particularly for the rigor it demands, and the contact with customers."

At the end of ninth grade, this good student entered the École hôtelière de Challes-les-Eaux (Savoie). "Our first year was split between the dining room and kitchen professions, but I knew very early on that service was where I wanted to be. "Once she ' d obtained her BEP, she took on a series of jobs in some of the finest brasseries in the Annecy region. "After a few years, I felt I'd done all I could do".

Maria Tupin then went back to school and obtained a vocational baccalaureate in the hotel and catering industry in Largentière (Ardèche). "It was essential, both to progress and acquire new techniques, but also to apply to more prestigious establishments."

She then joined the Auberge de Noves, in the Alpilles region, where she met her future husband, Marc Tupin. The year was 1995. After several years of a succession of experiences, notably at the Chantoiseau restaurant in Vialas (Lozère) - "with Patrick Pagè s, a wonderful man who sadly passed away. s, a wonderful man who sadly passed away too young " - and at Maison Wenger in Switzerland, Maria and Marc Tupin decided to set up on their own.

"We visited several premises for sale. We didn't immediately fall in love with this hostelry because, despite its obvious charm, the amount of work required was very substantial. But we took the plunge.

The couple will soon be celebrating their 20th anniversary at the helm of Hostellerie Saint-Germain in Arlay, a 17th-century coaching inn where Maria Tupin maintains a peaceful, family atmosphere. "I love this house, and I love my job. That's the main thing, isn't it?" Gault&Millau awarded her the Accueil Bourgogne-Franche-Comté 2023 trophy.

F. T.