Pascal BARBOT

Chef : L'Astrance Pascal Barbot, chef at L'Astrance, has made a name for himself with his ingredient-focused recipes, his skills as a mentor, and his role as a judge on *Top Chef*. Get to know this engaging personality here.

Presentation

Pascal Barbot grew up in the Bourbonnais countryside, surrounded by his grandmother’s vegetable garden and the farm where he spent time every day after school. “It was a happy childhood that taught me about the seasons.” At age 14, he began studying hospitality in Vichy. His first training took place at Le Buron de Chaudefour, a traditional inn in the Puy-de-Dôme region. He spent all his vacations there until he was twenty. It was there, working alongside Éric Vallé, the ranger of the nature reserve, that he discovered wild plants.

Training

He then went on to gain experience at various places. First in Clermont-Ferrand, under Alain Clavé, who later sent him to London to work with Joël Antunes. “That’s where I discovered gastronomy, hierarchy, and excellence in the restaurant industry.” Then, two years later, he returned to France, to Roanne, to join the Troisgros kitchen as an intern. In 1993, he enlisted in the navy, where he served as a cook aboard the Amiral du Pacifique in Nouméa, New Caledonia. “An incredible experience. I traveled and cooked with local ingredients.”

Career

After completing his military service, he joined Alain Passard at L’Arpège in Paris. He stayed there for five years, then packed his bags once again. He headed to Sydney to work at the Ampersand restaurant, where he took on his first position as head chef. “It was kind of a dream team—they had a young and incredible staff.” He returned to Paris in 1999 to take the helm at Lapérouse. The challenge was exciting, but it ended in failure. Learning from this experience, he decided, along with his partner Christophe Rohat, to open their own restaurant. And so L’Astrance was born in October 2000.

Passing the Torch

After being named “Chef of the Year” in 2005 by Gault&Millau,L’Astrance moved in 2020 to a larger space in the 16th arrondissement. Many young talents are cutting their teeth there. It’s a tradition the chef intends to carry on: “It’s the greatest reward of all; they’ve brought a lot of freshness to L’Astrance.”