France national round

 

Candidate : Chantal TABET

 

 

Commis : Maxence PICHARD ROUSSE

 

 

Coach : Geneviève LENAIN

 

Candidate : Gaëtan GENTIL

 

 

Commis : Mathis BLAIN

 

 

Coach : Maxime LAURENSON

 

Candidate : Julien GUÉNÉE

 

 

Commis : Adrien MARTINS

 

 

Coach : Julien LAVAL

 

Candidate : Maxence BARUFFALDI

 

 

Commis : Ciara CHARMOT

 

 

Coach : Édouard LOUBET

 

Candidate : Teddy BIDAUX

 

 

Commis : Arthur FAURIEL

 

 

Coach : Anthony RAFAITIN

 

Candidate : Vivien SONZOGNI

 

 

Commis : Elisa COLLETTE

 

 

Coach : Fabien PAIRON

 

 

Originally from Auvergne, Paul Marcon grew up in the heart of Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, immersed in his family’s passion for gastronomy. Drawn to excellence from an early age, he distinguished himself at just 16 during the WorldSkills France competition, later reaching the international finals. After honing his craft in several Michelin-starred restaurants in Lyon, he spent two years in Stockholm at AIRA, the two-star restaurant of Chef Tommy Myllymäki, Bocuse d’Argent 2011. There, he refined his technique and developed a global culinary vision. In 2022, he won the Trophée Jean Delaveyne, then joined the family’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant alongside his brother Jacques and his father Régis Marcon. In January 2025, Paul Marcon brought France a historic victory at the Bocuse d’Or, together with Camille Pigot and Christophe Quantin. Today, he continues the family adventure at Maisons Marcon, celebrating the terroir of Auvergne through an authentic, emotion-driven cuisine.

 

 

Camille Pigot, originally from Yvelines, was named Best Commis in the World at the Bocuse d’Or 2025.
Trained in the Bac Pro Cuisine program at Ferrandi Jouy-en-Josas, she completed her apprenticeship with Éric Léautey before spending three years working alongside Régis and Jacques Marcon. Selected by Paul Marcon in June 2023 to join him on the Bocuse d’Or journey, she trained by his side and, through hard work, determination, and the support of an exceptional team, they went on to win the Bocuse d’Or.

 

 

 

Originally from Moselle, Michel Roth is one of the most awarded chefs in France. Trained in some of the finest Alsatian establishments, he developed very early a strong sense of excellence and precision.
Named Best Apprentice of France in 1977, he began his career alongside Charles Herman, Maître Cuisinier de France. Between 1978 and 1980, he worked as Second Commis at Ledoyen in Paris before joining Guy Legay in 1981 at the legendary Ritz on Place Vendôme. Nineteen years later, he became Chef of the restaurant L’Espadon.
His talent was soon recognized with some of the highest culinary distinctions: First Prize at the Pierre Taittinger International Culinary Competition in 1985, followed in 1991 by both the prestigious Bocuse d’Or and the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France.
In 1999, Michel Roth took the helm of René Lasserre as Executive Chef, before returning two years later to the Ritz to oversee all the palace’s kitchens, where he earned two Michelin stars.
A true role model for younger generations of chefs, he is among the very few in France to have won both the Bocuse d’Or and the MOF title. In recognition of his exceptional career, he was named Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur on July 14, 2006.
In 2012, he joined the Hôtel Président Wilson in Geneva as Executive Chef. At the head of the restaurant Bayview, he earned a Michelin star the following year and received a score of 17/20 from Gault & Millau, later raised to 18/20 in 2016.
Driven by his passion for innovation and transmission, Michel Roth founded MRC (Michel Roth Consulting) in 2013, through which he supports numerous gastronomic projects and establishments.

• Since 2011, he has been culinary consultant for Le Baron at the Château de Ferrières.
• Since 2015, he has served as Director of Culinary Expertise and Consultant for Maison Lenôtre, while creating signature dishes for Servair / Air France.
• Since 2018, he has collaborated with Terroirs de Lorraine at Metz station, highlighting his regional roots.
• Since 2020, he has overseen La Table Cachée at the BHV Marais in Paris.
• Since 2022, he has continued his commitment to French gastronomy by leading La Table par Michel Roth at Paris–Charles de Gaulle Airport.

 

 

 

Born on September 27, 1936, in Paris, he earned a BTS diploma from the Lycée Hôtelier de Blois, where he completed internships in major brigades, brasseries, and airline catering.
He then pursued several formative seasons: in 1984 at L’Hôtellerie du Prieuré near Avignon, followed by Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxford. In 1986, he joined Ciro’s and the Casino de Deauville, then continued his career in Paris at the Automobile Club de France, where he deepened his mastery of the great classics of French cuisine.
In 1988, he returned to Ciro’s and the Casino de Deauville, climbing the ranks and gaining valuable experience in brigade management. Two years later, in 1990, he joined Jacques Maximin in Nice.
In 1991, he became a certified culinary teacher at the Lycée Nicolas Appert in Orvault. Two years later, in 1993, he received the prestigious title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in Cuisine.
In 1995, he coached Régis Marcon (*, Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid) to victory at the Bocuse d’Or.
From 1998 to 2013, he served as Technical Director at the Lycée Hôtelier de Blois. In 2013, Alain Ducasse appointed him Technical and Educational Director of his culinary schools, a position he held until May 2020.
Since 2006, he has also assisted Alain Ducasse as Vice President of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France Cuisine competition.
In June 2020, he founded CAP Cuisine Conseil, a company dedicated to consulting, professional training, and technical engineering in the restaurant industry.
In 2025, he led Paul Marcon and the French team to victory at the Bocuse d’Or, the world’s most prestigious culinary competition, serving as official coach.
He is a Chevalier in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, recognizing his dedication to education and excellence in French gastronomy.

 

 

Chef Florent Boivin has built a remarkable career in French gastronomy, defined by excellence, precision, and a deep passion for culinary education and transmission. Trained in some of the most prestigious Michelin-starred kitchens, such as Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier with the Pourcel brothers and Maison Decoret in Vichy, he has refined his mastery of haute cuisine over the years.
From 2007 to 2012, he served as Executive Chef at the legendary Maison Troisgros, a three-Michelin-star institution and a true landmark in French culinary history.
In 2011, Florent Boivin was awarded the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF), one of the highest honors in French gastronomy, recognizing his exceptional craftsmanship, creativity, and dedication to excellence.
As an ambassador of French cuisine, Chef Boivin has contributed to its international influence through the opening of several restaurants around the world, including D’Sens in Bangkok, the Raffles Hotel Restaurant in Singapore, and the Heritage Hotel in Mauritius. He has also participated in numerous international culinary festivals and masterclasses in Tokyo, Montréal, Shanghai, New York, Italy, and Spain.
Since September 2012, he has shared his extensive experience and global perspective as part of Institut Lyfe, where he trains the next generation of culinary professionals while embracing innovation and multicultural influences. He oversees the strategic and operational management of the institute’s culinary facilities, combining pedagogical excellence with professional rigor to offer students an immersive learning environment that mirrors real-world conditions.

 

 

Originally from Briançon, Naïs Pirollet graduated from Institut Paul Bocuse in 2017 and began her career alongside Michelin-starred chef David Toutain in Paris, where she spent two years refining her skills. In 2020, she joined Team France in the journey toward the Bocuse d’Or 2021 alongside Chef Davy Tissot—an enriching and inspiring experience that motivated her to pursue her own path.
Naïs Pirollet made history as the first woman to represent France at the Bocuse d’Or 2023, where she achieved a remarkable top-five finish worldwide. Today, she continues her culinary journey within the Groupe Pic, from the three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Valence to the chef’s research kitchen, the Pic Lab.

 

 

Born into a family devoted to the art of good living, Philippe Girardon discovered his passion for cooking at an early age. After training at La Pyramide in Vienne under Mado Point, he continued to develop his skills in prestigious establishments, working alongside Jacques Chibois at Le Royal Gray in Cannes and Guy Lassausaie in Chasselay. He also spent time in England at The Waterside Inn in Bray-on-Thames before traveling the world with the French Navy—an experience that broadened and deepened his approach to the culinary arts.
In 1983, together with his wife Laurence, he took over the family establishment in Chonas-l’Amballan, Isère. Together, they transformed it into a destination for refined gastronomy while maintaining a warm, family spirit. Ten years later, in 1993, Le Domaine de Clairefontaine was awarded a Michelin star, recognizing a cuisine that is both inventive and respectful of the product. His signature dishes—such as live lobster in its shell, pigeon from the cold lands of Isère, or duck foie gras in pastry—reflect his pursuit of balance between creativity and tradition.
Just a few steps from the Domaine, he also created Le Cottage, a more relaxed and convivial bistro-style restaurant that complements his gastronomic universe.
A disciplined yet generous chef, Philippe Girardon embodies a sincere cuisine rooted in his Dauphiné terroir, guided by respect for the product, the transmission of knowledge, and a deep love for his craft.

 

 

Born in Vendôme, Christophe Hay grew up in Cloyes-sur-le-Loir. He began his culinary journey alongside Éric Reithler at Au Rendez-Vous des Pêcheurs in Blois. In 2001, a decisive encounter with Paul Bocuse led him to join Bocuse’s brigade before taking charge of the kitchens at Le Bistro de Paris in Orlando, where he remained for five years.
Upon returning to France, he opened La Maison d’à Côté near Blois in 2014, earning a first Michelin star in 2015 and a second in 2019. That same year, he inaugurated La Table d’à Côté, which received one Michelin star. In 2020, he was awarded a Green Star for his commitment to sustainability.
In 2022, he partnered with Chef Loïs Bée, and La Table d’à Côté became La Table de Christophe Hay et Loïs Bée. The same year, he unveiled Fleur de Loire, his Relais & Châteaux hotel-restaurant in the heart of Blois. The gastronomic restaurant Christophe Hay earned two Michelin stars and one Green Star. Fleur de Loire was also honored with the Opening of the Year award (2022) by La Liste 2023 and received the Ethical and Environmental Responsibility Label in 2025.
Named Chef of the Year 2021 by Gault & Millau, Christophe Hay stands as one of the most passionate ambassadors of the Loire Valley’s terroir. Through his permaculture garden, his Wagyu cattle farm, and his dedication to showcasing the emblematic fish of the Loire, he expresses a cuisine that is sensitive, sustainable, and deeply rooted in its land—where memory and modernity exist in perfect harmony.

 

 

Danny Khezzar is a French chef who rose to fame with the television show Top Chef in 2023. Originally from the Paris region, he discovered his passion for cooking at an early age after meeting Michel Roth during a brunch at the Ritz Paris. Impressed by his enthusiasm, the renowned chef offered him an internship at L’Espadon, marking the beginning of his culinary journey.

Trained at the Jean Drouant Hospitality School, he began his career at Gaya with Pierre Gagnaire before joining Michel Roth in 2015 at the Bayview restaurant of the Hôtel Président Wilson in Geneva. A determined and hardworking chef, he climbed the ranks from commis to sous-chef, and in April 2023 was appointed head chef of Bayview by Michel Roth, a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Alongside his professional career, Danny developed his own culinary identity—creative, generous, and modern—rooted in the fundamentals of French gastronomy yet inspired by his origins and encounters.
On television, Danny made a strong impression during Top Chef Season 14, where his energy, warmth, and boldness captivated audiences. Since then, he has continued to appear in various TV and culinary media formats, sharing his passion with an ever-growing public.
In 2024, he opened his own restaurant, Bistrot Monsieur Claude, in Boulogne-Billancourt—a convivial address that reflects his desire to make gastronomy accessible in a welcoming atmosphere while maintaining high standards of quality.
Today, Danny Khezzar represents a new generation of chefs: talented, passionate, close to his audience, and dedicated to sharing a cuisine that is both refined and approachable.

 

 

Raised in a family with a deep love for good food and the pleasures of life, and shaped by the sights, aromas, and flavors of a childhood and adolescence spent across Africa—from Gabon to Congo and Côte d’Ivoire—Eugénie Béziat moved to Toulouse at the age of 18 to pursue a degree in Foreign Languages (DEUG LEA). Shortly after graduating, a life-changing dinner at Chef Hélène Darroze’s restaurant inspired her to change paths. Two years later, in 2006, she earned a BTS in Hospitality and Culinary Arts from the Lycée des Métiers de l’Hôtellerie et du Tourisme d’Occitanie.
She began her culinary journey with an exceptional apprenticeship at Les Prés d’Eugénie* under Michel Guérard, followed by a position at the Brasserie du Stade Toulousain alongside Stéphane Garcia. In 2012, she joined Chef Michel Sarran’s team, where she became accustomed to the precision and discipline of a two-Michelin-starred kitchen.
Drawn by the call of the Mediterranean and her own roots, she moved to Corsica in 2015 to work with Chef Yann Le Scavarec at La Roya, where she gradually revealed her creative personality. In 2018, she decided to strike out on her own, taking over La Flibuste in Villeneuve-Loubet. Only 18 months later, she earned her first Michelin star. By exploring her memories and influences, she dared to free herself from conventions to shape her own unique culinary identity—one defined by emotion, authenticity, and cultural resonance.
Her ambition and singular approach to contemporary gastronomy caught the attention of the Ritz Paris, where she now leads one of the world’s most prestigious kitchens. There, she seeks to welcome guests with warmth and meaning, infusing the grand legacy of the Ritz with her own touch—a soulful blend of spice, complexity, and evocative aromas drawn from her African heritage.
Her dedication was swiftly recognized when she earned a Michelin star just six months after the restaurant’s opening, in March 2024.

 

 

 

 

Originally from Montpellier, Florent Pietravalle presents at La Mirande* in Avignon a free-spirited and vibrant cuisine, guided by instinct and movement. A disciple of Jean-Luc Rabanel and Pierre Gagnaire, he explores the Mediterranean terroir with raw energy and sharp sensitivity, transforming each ingredient into a unique emotion through unexpected combinations that transcend traditional conventions.

 

 

 

 

 

Executive Chef and General Manager of the Kitano Hotel in Kobe, he is a disciple of the great Burgundian chef Bernard Loiseau and serves as a bridge between French and Japanese gastronomy. Recipient of numerous distinctions in both Japan and France, including the Ordre du Mérite Agricole (Officer) and the Medal of Honor with Yellow Ribbon awarded by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, he is deeply committed to the transmission and promotion of the culinary culture of Kobe and the Hyogo region on an international scale.

 

 

 

Johanna Le Pape is a wellness pastry chef and winner of the 2014 Coupe du Monde des Arts Sucrés.
Trained at the École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie, she honed her skills in prestigious establishments such as Le Lutetia and Le Meurice, working alongside Cédric Grolet and Maxime Frédéric, before joining the École Alain Ducasse as a pastry instructor.
Driven by a passion for education, sports, and nutrition, she has developed a unique approach that combines indulgence, health, and creativity. She founded her own consulting company, working internationally with schools, brands, and food industry groups to promote a more mindful and innovative vision of pastry.
In 2023, she published Révolution Pâtisserie, the first book dedicated to healthy pastry-making, translated into English and Portuguese, and awarded the “Livres & Savoirs” Prize by the French National Culinary Academy. Her podcast Start Your Revolution will be released in November 2025, followed by her second book in early 2026.

 

 

My story: https://deniscourtiade.fr/  

Director of the gastronomic restaurant at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris since its reopening on September 25, 2000, I began my career in 1984 as an apprentice maître d’hôtel at L’Auberge des Templiers in the Loiret region. Coming from a family of restaurateurs, I initially wanted to pursue a career in pastry at the age of 16. However, as there was no opportunity in my village, I accepted a front-of-house position offered by a renowned restaurant—and that decision marked the beginning of my lifelong adventure in hospitality.
After a period in England and several experiences in Michelin-starred establishments across southern France and Paris, I won the title of First Chef de Rang of France in 1991 at the national Trophée Jacquart competition in Reims. Soon after, I was invited to join the Louis XV restaurant in Monaco under the legendary Chef Alain Ducasse, starting as Chef de Rang and later becoming Assistant Maître d’Hôtel.
In 1995, Alain Ducasse asked me to move to London, where I served as Restaurant Director for one year during the opening of the private club Monte’s – Desert Express Limited. In July 1996, I returned to Paris for the reopening of Le Relais du Parc, located at 59 avenue Raymond Poincaré, recently acquired by Alain Ducasse following Joël Robuchon. Ducasse’s ambition was clear—to earn three Michelin stars—and six months later, the goal was achieved.
In 2000, the Michelin-starred chef opened his gastronomic restaurant within the prestigious Hôtel Plaza Athénée on avenue Montaigne, with François Delahaye as General Manager, and entrusted me with the direction of this iconic establishment, later awarded three Michelin stars.
For the past 25 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside exceptional chefs such as Jean-François Piège, Christophe Moret, Christophe Saintagne, Romain Meder, and Christophe Michalak, among many other talented figures. These years of excellence have allowed me to create and refine a true signature style of service.
Alongside my professional commitments, I am the author of two books:
- Pour Vous Servir — https://www.editionsleduc.com/produit/2027/9782379350719/pour-vous-servir
- L’Hospitalité et le Mentorat — https://www.bpi-campus.com/business-management/l-hospitalite-et-le-mentorat?srsltid=AfmBOooK1nmGbmhCg9kCKGGlTJAhGQhx3MV_n24TN8znVqQCtOEUkano 
I am also the Founder and President of the association O Service, which promotes and celebrates the professions of hospitality and service: https://oservice.fr/  

 

 

 

An Architect DPLG, graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Grenoble in 2003, I run my own practice in Aix-les-Bains, nestled between lake and mountains.
As an architect, interior architect, and designer, I have been supporting professionals for over 20 years in the conception and realization of their projects, with a particular focus on the fields of hospitality and gastronomy.
Passionate about craftsmanship and the arts, I collaborate with exceptional artisans to create unique projects imbued with meaning and emotion.
For the past 10 years, I have had the privilege of working closely with Chef Jean Sulpice at L’Auberge du Père Bise in Talloires, overseeing the architecture, interior design, and decoration of the establishment’s complete renovation, including the creation of its spa.
Since 2019, I have led the artistic direction and design of the platters and culinary art pieces, working hand in hand with the French candidates throughout their journey in the national, European, and world selections of the Bocuse d’Or.
This ongoing involvement has allowed me to contribute to the victories of Davy Tissot (2021) and Paul Marcon (2025) in the world finals.