As a new member of the Gault&Millau Academy, Gilles Tournadre is also the guardian of an important part of France's culinary heritage, through two essential elements: taste and savoir-faire. A chef like this is never caught unprepared: where some people improvise, when they have to change a recipe at the last minute, all the chef has to do is review his library from memory to come up with a great dish: the other day, the langoustines were grandiose, tangy, orange, as was the saint-pierre, remarkably cooked as a "peach of the day" before a just-perfect raspberry tartlet. At Gilles Tournadre's, there's a real menu, with specialties that are closely linked to Normandy, but which are above all exemplary of the work this outstanding chef has been doing for years: ravioles of tourteau creamy with shellfish, foie gras with spices and mango confit, turbot with cider and the three inescapable and irremovable items on the menu, calf's head, pigeon à la rouennaise and a millefeuille that has made the rounds of gastronomic Earth. Sylvie Tournadre's warm welcome, ease of manner and even eloquence have a lot to do with this, as does her benevolence and concern for each table, giving impetus and commitment to a young, well-trained team. The cellar boasts fine references from all the regions, guided by an experienced sommelier.
