Greetings and welcome to the website of my restaurant, I look forward to greeting you in person at Le CasseNoix in the very near future and hope your visit to CasseNoix will meet or exceeds your culinary expectations.
In these next few lines, I describe my journey as a chef, where I have devoted much of my life, with inspiration and passion, for my beloved... « La Cuisine ».
A special thought to my father, MOF deli artisan in the French Region Le Loiret whom I owe greatly for initiating me to this beautiful profession when I was very young…
I first started Hotelier school in 1992 and three years later I won my first contest at 17. It was the junior dessert championship of France and I will always hold remarkable memories of that day.
As soon as I finished school, I started to work in the kitchen of l’Hôtel de Crillon by the side of Chef Christian Constant. Afterwards, I joined one of his partisan and worked for a couple years alongside Didier Varnier at C’amelot making appealing bistro cuisine just the way I love it.
I did my military service in the kitchen of Le palais de l’Elysée under the supervision of Joël Normand when Jacques CHIRAC was the French President. From this experience, I retained great friends that, even today come to taste my food.
After this, I integrated into the team of Alain Solivérès at l’Elysées du Vernet discovering a sumptuous southern cuisine with superb traditional products from the Provinces.
I then perfected my skills at Jamin restaurant from the talented Benoit Guichard, where we whipped up classically inspired savoury dishes with flavour. Later, I spent six years working with my loyal friend Bruno Doucet at La Régalade restaurant. He had just taken over from Yves Camdeborde in a brilliant matter. After these great years, I decided it was time for me to fly using my own wings. Growing desire and motivation for my own restaurant was very present and opportunity finally arrived to realise my project next to the Eiffel tower, Le CasseNoix was born at 56 rue de la federation in the 15th neighbourhood of Paris.
The secret sauce of a successful bistro location starts with a blend of quality delicious in-season produce. Stir in ample measures of authenticity, generosity, passion, a pinch of pleasure, and a remarkable work team. Combine all these and you arrive at the recipe for my restaurant Le CASSENOIX.
I named the restaurant le CasseNoix in memory of my beloved grandfather who, with thought and care, would seek out nutcrackers as gifts for my mother to grow her collection. These nutcrackers now add to the decor of the restaurant.
To conclude, I would like to thank our customers who have filled the restaurant every day since our opening in 2010, where the recurring theme has been to deliver total satisfaction daily. Also, thank you to all my house and kitchen staff who take time to reflect on each recipe, like a little laboratory. I love these moments of genius we share which enrich the menu. Thank you all.
A special thanks to Christophe Tranchant for proposing that I write children’s cookbooks, so delightful to create with the whole team.
Of course, I cannot forget to thank my most loyal daily supporter and admirer, my beautiful wife, Laure.