Mathieu BOUTROY

Chef : 1 restaurant 2-toque chef Mathieu Boutroy puts into practice the techniques he learned from Jean-François Piège and Marc Meurin at his restaurant Le Cerisier, in Lille.

Presentation

Mathieu Boutroy always wanted to be a chef: "I've never changed my mind," he says, heading off to train at the Lycée Hôtelier du Touquet, graduating in 2004. During this course, he met Jean-François Piège during an internship at the Plaza Athénée, under the direction of Alain Ducasse: "Jean-François Piège is an incredible technician. He left five months later, with a promise of employment.

In the meantime, Jean-François Piège took off at the Hôtel de Crillon. Mathieu Boutroy joined him as a commis: "I climbed the ladder all the way up to first chef de partie tournant". In 2007, Jean-François Piège put him in touch with Marc Meurin. He was hired by Busnes, at the Château de Beaulieu. Starting out as chef de partie, Mathieu Boutroy was promoted to chef de cuisine in 2011: "It was a wonderful playground for me. Marc Meurin gave me the opportunity to fulfill my potential as a chef."

Thirteen years after joining Château de Beaulieu, Mathieu Boutroy takes over as head chef at Le Cerisier, Lille. Gault&Millau immediately awarded him a fine 14/20 (2 toques). On site, his work focuses on "coherent cooking with straightforward tastes". He puts into practice the technique inculcated by Jean-François Piège and works on acidity (he makes his own vinegars) learned from Marc Meurin. With three flavors per plate, Mathieu Boutroy naturally asserts himself as a chef who knows what he wants, and who definitely knows what he's doing: "I want something to happen during tasting, from the very first stroke of the fork."

T. L.