Virginie GUITARD

Chef : 1 restaurant Virginie Guitard is a real live wire. The winner of the Cuisine des Prairies et des Pâturages Occitanie 2024 trophy creates sparks at the controls of Le Combustible, in the Carmes district.

Presentation

I didn't follow a traditional training path," explains Virginie Guitard. I've always had a passion for cooking, but I didn't really set foot in a restaurant kitchen until 2010, at the age of 33. Until then, I had worked in design and public relations."

Spotted by Frédéric Anton

Eliminated in the semi-finals of "Masterchef" in 2010, this Toulousan by adoption was spotted by one of the jurors, Frédéric Anton. "I'd obviously never had a CAP in cooking, but he hired me as a commis. It wasn't easy to join an essentially male brigade, with the label of TV cook. I had to work twice as hard to be accepted."

Virginie Guitard went on to work for Robuchon at Métropole, then for Yannick Alléno at 1947, but was already turning her attention to another facet of the gastronomic world. "I wanted to do consulting and brand development. I was a home chef for ten years or so, while also scouring the trade shows. But deep down, I suffered from a lack of legitimacy, from imposter syndrome. I was 45 and wanted to open my own restaurant to prove to myself that I could do it."

Opening of Combustible, her first restaurant, in 2023

Naturally, the woman who also worked in operational management for Cyril Lignac's group spent a long time maturing her project, weighing up every aspect, right down to the choice of her brand name. "Combustible is a powerful name, reminiscent of heat, flame and energy. I work with embers and blowtorches. In the end, it seemed an obvious choice."

Although she works with vegetables and fish, Virginie Guitard admits to a real attraction for meats, which she chooses with care and cooks with the utmost respect, earning her the Cuisine des Prairies et des Pâturages Occitanie 2024 trophy. Word of mouth has quickly made an impact in the Ville Rose, and her Combustible is now firing on all cylinders.