Philippe GIRARDON
Chef : 1 restaurant With his wife and children, Philippe Girardon runs the Domaine de Clairefontaine in Chonas-l'Amballan, Isère, and prides himself on creative cuisine rooted in the local terroir.
For Philippe Girardon, cooking has always been an obvious choice. After training at the Lycée Professionnel in Saint-Chamond and an apprenticeship at Le Bec Fin in Vienne, he continued his experience at La Pyramide, then at L'Oasis La Napoule, and at Royal Gray in Cannes, working with Jacques Chibois.
He crossed the Channel to work at Alain Roux's Waterside Inn, then did his military service in the navy, in the kitchen, which enabled him to travel around the world and learn English. These multiple experiences taught him rigor and forged his vision of the culinary profession.
Seasonal cuisine
On his return to France, Philippe Girardon decided to strike out on his own and bought out his mother's Domaine de Clairefontaine.
" My cooking follows the rhythm of the seasons and has always been rooted in my region," Philippe Girardon likes to say. Every week, he goes to the market in Vienne, where he finds inspiration and works with passionate historical suppliers who have become true partners and friends.
His "Au fil des saisons" menu evolves according to market produce, while the "Esprit de la Maison" menu menu highlights his signature creations, such as hare à la royale, frog soup or pigeon crisp. The chef also gives pride of place to vegetables. What drives him? To constantly challenge himself, "to try to do better today than yesterday".
Passing on knowledge
Philippe Girardon has always been a competitor, taking part in several competitions "but without winning", he regrets! Qualified for the final of the Taittinger competition, he was eliminated because of a late dish. This setback served as a lesson, and the determined chef entered the MOF competition, winning in 1997. While proud of this coveted award, he remains modest. " If I'm MOF, it's certainly the culmination of years of work, but it's also thanks to the support of my family and the products of my region ".
The chef makes a point of passing on his knowledge, and is actively involved in training young people. He has chaired a number of competitions, including the MOF final in Grenoble in 2022 and the cooking jury for the Bocuse d'or 2025 final.
Key dates :
1963: born in Lyon
1978: BEP cuisine
1979: apprentice at Bec Fin in Vienne
1880: commis de cuisine then chef de partie at La Pyramide in Vienne
1981: chef de partie at L'Oasis La Napoule
1982: Chef de partie at Royal Gray, Cannes
1983: Chef and owner of Domaine de Clairefontaine, Chonas l'Amballan
1997: Meilleur Ouvrier de France
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