Stéphane PITRÉ

Chef : 3 restaurants

Presentation

Now a Gault&Millau 3-toque chef, Stéphane Pitré discovered cooking... by washing dishes! "My father sent me to work for a friend in the restaurant business. I discovered what a kitchen was all about, and I was fascinated to see the chef setting the plates - it was a real revelation for me."He enrolled in a BEP and completed his apprenticeship at the same establishment, Les Ajoncs d'Or, on the edge of the Brocéliande forest.

Stéphane Pitré then left for London, on a whim, without even speaking English. First he worked for a French chef, then, on the verge of returning to France, he was recruited by the Ritz-Carlton and ended up staying in England for a further four years. "I joined at the age of 23 as a chef de partie, and a year later I was promoted to sous-chef, working like a madman! For me, it was a bit like the ugly duckling's revenge!"Back in France, after a brief stint at the George V, he joined Lucas Carton. He stayed for four years with Alain Senderens and Jérôme Banctel, before taking over as head chef at Le Metropolitan.

In 2014, Stéphane Pitré decided to finally set up on his own. Encouraged by Gault&Millau, he won one of the guide's first Jeunes Talents awards, and in 2015 opened Restaurant Louis, in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The Guide Jaune praised his"very good start", awarding him 2 toques in his first season, followed by 3 toques the following year. In 2019, the chef opens a new establishment next door, the bistro Le Cellier, where the menu features dishes typical of his region, such as the galette-saucisse."I cook with produce at the crossroads of influences between Brittany and Japan."

F.H.