Published 5 / 02 / 2020 Reading time: 3 min
At the end of 2017, Michel Troisgros was named the best chef in the world by Le Chef magazine. The year was also marked by the move of the house from its historic site to Ouches, to a completely redesigned location. As for 2018, it starts with the celebration of 50 years crowned by 3 stars in the Michelin Guide.
Two years full of developments and successes for Maison Troisgros. But the course remains fixed: that of excellence, as Michel Troisgros tells us.
Mr. Troisgros, you were recently voted best chef in the world ahead of Yannick Alleno and a Spanish chef, Joan Roca: how did you take this news?
Michael Troisgros: I was quite surprised but obviously honored. 600 chefs around the world vote for the one they think is the chef of the year. What does that mean ? They highlight a chef who is particularly "in shape", who creates, innovates and promotes his cuisine throughout the world. Behind this distinction, the choice of my colleagues underlines the work of a family, of a community. It is also a reward for what symbolizes our rebirth: moving, which seemed impossible. Initially, the project surprised many in the profession, especially when we announced that we were moving from the city to the countryside: more often than not, restaurants move to benefit from a better “tourist” location or to “go up” to Paris.
Your new establishment has opened in Ouches: can you tell us a few words about your first months there?
Michael Troisgros: We have the feeling of having regained freshness and dynamism. Each member of the team got involved in this project, everyone was very motivated and we succeeded in convincing our customers... as well as the Michelin Guide. We celebrate our 50 years of 3 stars in 2018. These stars value the work of time and imagination. 50 years without interruption, it is unique from one generation to another and it is a lot with regard to a family of cooks. In 1968, the slogan for change was “imagination to power”; in 2018, this idea still guides us. We are constantly imagining and questioning ourselves. How? 'Or' What
welcome differently, how to think of the table differently, how to imagine new dishes? Today, the whole history and the whole future of Troisgros are in Ouches.
What has changed in Ouches? How did each generation of the Troisgros family find its place?
Michael Troisgros : It was an opportunity to rethink our codes of elegance and hospitality. For example, the service dress is more casual, our team wears a waistcoat but no more ties. The space of the room exudes a particular emotion. Nestled under a huge oak tree, it lets nature come inside, it's magic. In the kitchen, my son César has taken over as chef. I let it flourish and assert its personality which is a traveler. It surprises me with tastes that I did not know such as smoked, grilled, spicy. Finally, we have created cultures here and we are campaigning for the maintenance of endangered seeds such as a variety of Auvergne beans that we may be able to cook one day. We evolve with great freedom, without following codes and trends, we offer a cuisine that resembles us
