Nicolas REBROND

Head sommelier : 2 restaurants Chef de service : 2 restaurants In the heart of a charming Provencal town, Nicolas Rebrond runs Audrey and Nico's Ardoise with contagious energy and passion.

Presentation

Nicolas Rebrond studied at the Lycée Hôtelier in Toulon. Although he had dreamed of being a pastry chef when he left secondary school, he soon turned to the culinary professions. I love cooking," hesays, "but during my training at the hotel school, I quickly realized that I'd get the most out of being in contact with customers.

Nicolas Rebrond gained experience in some of Provence's finest establishments, including a few seasons at the Ducasse group's beautiful Bastide de Moustiers. "It wasthere that I met my future wife, Audrey d'Amico. After a few experiences together, we had the opportunity to set up a winery in Rousset, Domaine Terre de Mistral." Together, they ran the restaurant for four years. "

This long experience enabled Nicolas Rebrond to deepen his knowledge of oenology and the couple to learn how to manage an establishment. In 2019, Nicolas and Audrey felt ready to settle down and opened L'Ardoise d'Audrey et Nico, in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume. "I was alone in the dining room, Audrey worked with an apprentice in the kitchen. We didn't have a terrace, but the restaurant was doing so well that we were turning away customers all the time. With the arrival of our children, we decided to move to a bigger place and hire new staff in the dining room and kitchen. It was essential for our balance, our family life and to be able to improve our services. "

Today, Nicolas Rebrond, whose healthy energy lights up the place, welcomes around fifty customers at each service, watches over the delicious terrace set up at the back of the establishment and a cellar made up entirely of local references: "8 reds, 8 rosés, 8 whites, nearly half of which are offered by the glass, at ultra-affordable prices. Gault&Millau awarded him the "Accueil" trophy for the PACA region in 2024.