Nicolas WECHTLER
Sommelier at the Cheval Blanc in Lembach, Nicolas Wechtler sees his profession as the art of creating memories. After Dubai, Champagne and Lyon, he has now returned to his roots in the Northern Vosges.
Nicolas Wechtlerdeveloped a passion for the culinary world at an early age : " By the age of ten, I knew I wanted to work in the restaurant business. "After taking a professional catering diploma in Schiltigheim, followed by a sommelier diploma in Illkirch, he entered the world of wine head-on: " Even before I drank my first glass, I dreamed of being able to talk about it. "
His first experience was at Le Cygne in Gundershoffen (1 toque), where he discovered the high standards of a fine Alsatian house, before giving in to the call of the open sea. It was in Dubai, at Coya, acolorful Peruvian restaurant, that he sharpened his curiosity: " I learned to deal with an ultra-international clientele, to create pairings around pisco and to broaden my knowledge of world wines. "An intense two-year adventure that left her with a taste for challenge.
From world wines to a return to his roots
Back in France, he joined the Hostellerie de la Briqueterie in Vinay, in the heart of the Champagne region. There, he immersed himself in one of the country's most beautiful terroirs: " I knew very little about Champagne winegrowers; I discovered a fascinating region and a wine list of 1,000 references, half of which were in Champagne. "
This was followed by several key experiences: the opening of a gastronomic establishment in the Lyon region, then four years at Le Vin et un Plat in western Lyon, between cellar and restaurant. "I've learned to adapt more. In the cellar, you go from a grand cru to an aperitif bottle from one customer to the next. it's a big change from everyday life in a gourmet restaurant ", explains the sommelier .
In 2023, a former teacher encouraged him to take part in the Coupe Georges Baptiste, a competition for restaurant professionals : " It gave me a renewed taste for service and contact. "The sommelier reached the national final. It was the catalyst he needed to return to his first love - restaurant service - and his native region.
In May 2024, he became head sommelier at Cheval Blanc in Lembach (3 toques), working alongside chef Pascal Bastian: " I feel like a fish in water.The chef shares my passion for wine, and we talk a lot. " Nicolas Wechtler doesn't claim to be reinventing the sommellerie of this old Alsatian house, but rather to be perpetuating it by adding a few personal touches : " Naturally, I've pushed the Loire Valley and Champagne, which are close to my heart. " Above all, the sommelier aims to offer a service that is " natural and sincere, allowing the customer to feel at ease, creating a genuine exchange, and sometimes a lasting memory of the experience. "
