Romain ZARAZAGA

Chef : 1 restaurant

Presentation

He almost laughs! But before and since the opening, it's true that the planets have aligned to shed light on Lueurs, the restaurant launched at the end of January by Romain Zarazaga on the outskirts of Angers. The inauguration had been eagerly awaited since Romain was awarded the Dotation Jeunes Talents Gault&Millau at the beginning of 2023, with a gestation period a little longer than expected, but which resulted in a good teasing by the local press. The region is buoyant, the public is connoisseur, and a promising young chef is naturally whetting appetites.

Of Basque origin, but born in Annecy in 1996, Romain Zarazaga knew his vocation very early on. " When I was 12, I had the opportunity to spend an evening in the kitchens of the Belvedere, helping out as I could. That experience really made an impression on me, and went some way to determining my future career."He returned to this listed establishment above the lake for his ninth-year work placement, before seizing the chance to take his vocational diploma on a sandwich course.his vocational diploma at Laurent Petit's Clos des Sens (Annecy, 4 toques), where he worked alongside today's chef, Franck Derouet, in a variety of positions.

" Then, I wanted to improve my English, so I went to London where I joined Éric Frechon. I was 18 and a chef de partie, managing three guys ten years older than me, and in English! But it was a very positive experience, and when I came back, my desire to learn more about mountain cuisine took shape at Emmanuel Renaut, where I stayed for three years. As I was pretty much bilingual, he took me all over the world, and I had other great experiences. "

In 2019, Romain Zarazaga leaves the mountains for the Troisgros house (in Ouches, 4 toques), until the end of the confinement. Chance and love led him to choose between Angers and Strasbourg. He chose the first destination, applied for the Gault&Millau award - which he obtained - and embarked on this wonderful personal project. Almost two years later, he is at home in this elegant house overlooking the Loire, and immediately enjoys a strong following. With numerous and substantial assets: " The terroir is wonderful, my market gardener is just a kilometer from the restaurant, my Loire fisherman brings me pike-perch weighing close to 10 kilos, I have shad, carp, all in ikejimé. And for sea fish, I've found a fisherman's daughter who knows the Lorient and Granville auctions inside out, and who brings me everything I want. "

No more problems with the staff: " I have a great team with me. I'm lucky enough to work with Emmanuelle Moulié [winner of the Pâtissière 2021 trophy when she was at Gribiche, editor's note], with Rémi, my maitre d'hôtel, and a young man who's been working with me for a long time.maitre d'hôtel, and a talented young sommelier, Théo Beaupè ;re..." First rating in the Guide Jaune after three weeks in business: 14/20, 2 toques. And already a Grand de Demain trophy from the Gault&Millau Tour Centre-Val de Loire & Pays de la Loire 2025. He has just one word to sum up the situation: " It's great, everything that's happening right now ! "