Richard BAÏMA

Chef : Le Julianon After training under Dominique Le Stanc, Bernard Loiseau, and Alain Senderens, Richard Baïma opened Le Julianon in 2007 in Senlis (Oise), where he serves market-fresh cuisine paired with biodynamic wines.

Presentation

“ As a child, I was already very curious; I wanted to be a journalist and travel,” says Richard Baïma. The young man eventually turned to cooking and enrolled in the hotel management school in Hyères (Var). After earning his CAP, he joined Marc Pralong’s kitchen at L’Auberge de la Calanque in Le Lavandou, then participated in a competition organized by the Toulon Arsenal. Finishing in fourth place, he caught the eye of Laurent Tarridec, who was a member of the jury at the time. The chef found him a position with Michel Sarran at Le Mas du Langoustier on the island of Porquerolles.

From the Negresco to Burgundy: The School of the Great Establishments

A year later, Dominique Le Stanc opened the doors of the legendary Negresco in Nice to him. “He taught me how to manage my emotions and allowed us to explore every position. ” In 1993, Richard Baïma ventured to Burgundy, where he worked alongside Jean-Michel Lorain at La Côte Saint-Jacques and Bernard Loiseau at the Relais de Saulieu, though he wasn’t entirely convinced. “ My real goal was to make it to Paris.”

In Paris, sous chef to Alain Senderens at Lucas Carton

In 1995, he made his grand entrance at Lucas Carton. Chef Alain Senderens took him under his wing. “His humility, his precision, his light touch in the kitchen, and his mastery of food-and-wine pairings particularly impressed and inspired me. ” Over time, Alain Senderens offered him the position of sous chef.

Le Julianon in Senlis: market-fresh cuisine and biodynamic wines

“Ten years later, my wife became pregnant, so we decided to move back down south to raise our twin daughters.” Richard Baïma took the helm of the kitchen at Le Roy Soleil in Ménerbes (Vaucluse). One fine day, he secured a meeting with Marc Meneau, but the chef of the restaurant L’Espérance in Saint-Père-sous-Vézelay (Yonne) canceled at the last minute. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Richard Baïma took the opportunity to visit his in-laws in Senlis (Oise). They told him that a crêperie was for sale there: a 17th-century historic building. It was love at first sight; he bought it in 2007 to open the restaurant Le Julianon—a combination of the names of his two daughters, Juliette and Manon. “ My vision was very clear and remains the same: to offer market-fresh cuisine paired with biodynamic wines.” Two years later, Gault&Millau named him Young Talent of 2009.