Nicolas BROSSARD

Chef de service : 1 restaurant Nicolas Brossard, Restaurant Manager in La Rochelle, has been breathing new life into the Coutanceau restaurant since 2003. His passion for sommellerie enhances his authentic cuisine.

Presentation

"It all happened in January 2003, recounts Nicolas Brossard. Richard and Maryse Coutanceau had come to dine at the Louis XV when I was head sommelier there. A month later, they called to offer me the job in La Rochelle. They wanted to breathe new life into the house. I didn't hesitate much, as I was born in Blois and wanted to be closer to my land and my family. My daughter was born in Monaco, so I wanted her to know my region too. "

From sommelier to restaurant manager

It was at this point that Nicolas Brossard's professional destiny changed. Prior to that, his career path had been a classic one, but it had already been shaped by determination and tenacity. "After my sommelier studies in Saumur, I did an internship at Lucas Carton with Alain Senderens, and he offered to keep me on. It was great, but I already knew that I wanted to go further, to really participate in and organize the work in the dining room. At Coutanceau, I got involved right away, and my contract, which hadn't yet been signed, became an assistant to the head sommelier. "

The other major step was the acquisition of the restaurant, with Christopher Coutanceau, in 2007. "I wasn't part of the family, yet Richard and Maryse offered the business to both of us. It wasn't easy: between the two of us, we barely had enough to pay the notary fees! "

"Obviously, today we have no regrets. We've mellowed out, we argue less and less and, despite a few temporary storms, we get on well. In everything, you need flexibility.And in my line of work, you have to be demanding, of course, but first and foremost you have to be demanding of yourself. "