Paul MARCON

Chef : Restaurant Marcon A 2025 Bocuse d’Or winner, Paul Marcon runs the family-owned Marcon restaurant (5 Golden Toques) in Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid. Working alongside his father, Régis, and his brother, Jacques, the chef stands out for his passion for competition and victory.

Presentation

He is a prodigy who has turned his name into an asset, rather than an excuse for his success. The youngest in his family, Paul Marcon was only 16 when he first competed in WorldSkills France. Humble and an exceptional hard worker, he won the competition six years later. A graduate of the Thonon-les-Bains hospitality school, he embarked on a series of unconventional culinary experiences, working in the kitchens of Le Prairial and at Jérémy Galvan’s innovative restaurant, 220BPM. He then fell in love with the far north and spent two years in Stockholm. There, he worked alongside chefs Magnus Ek, Mathias Dahlgren, and Tommy Myllymäki. But it was in his hometown, Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, that Paul Marcon ultimately decided to settle down, at the restaurant Marcon (5 Golden Toques).

A Lover of Awards

A lover of challenges, the chef is passionate about competitions, sports, nature, and new technologies. Born nine months after his father, Régis Marcon, won the Bocuse d’Or in 1995, the young chef owes his first name to Paul Bocuse and the competition bearing his name. Nothing less. It was only natural, then, that he would compete in the international contest in 2025—a childhood dream. Paying homage to his family roots, it was largely thanks to his filet mignon with mushroom scales that he won the ultimate prize, which he compares to an Olympic gold medal. At age 29, the native of Auvergne claimed the top title.

Modern French Gastronomy

A chef who loves to celebrate French gastronomy with a modern twist, Paul Marcon is also the winner of the 2022 Jean Delaveyne Trophy. His cuisine showcases French traditions and the richness of the local terroir. In fact, many of the ingredients on the menu are sourced locally. Mushrooms and aromatic herbs are sometimes foraged just a few meters from the family-run restaurant, then prepared with the expertise for which the Marcons are known. Without pretension, Paul Marcon likes to point out that the restaurant’s level of excellence is maintained by his father and his brother, Jacques Marcon, and not by him alone. Now, word is that he’d be quite tempted to enter the Meilleur Ouvrier de France competition… A marathon runner, cyclist, and cross-country skier, the chef is constantly seeking new challenges to take on.