Arnaud Faye – Red, white, and blue stripes for a top chef

We heard from Arnaud Faye, Head Chef at La Chèvre d’Or, one year after being named « Meilleur Ouvrier de France! »

It was almost a year ago that Arnaud Faye was named « Meilleur Ouvrier de France » (Best Craftsman of France): « I’m extremely proud of this distinction. It was an incredibly emotional ceremony with a tribute to Paul Bocuse and Joël Robuchon. »

THE BLUE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

« Blue is my favorite color, » Arnaud Faye admits smilingly while contemplating the landscape. In fact, it’s hard not to think of the sea and admire the view while working at La Chèvre d’Or with its incredible panoramas covering the entire coast.

In the beginning, Arnaud Faye had to learn how to work with the ingredients of this region. Today, his menu is created entirely from the local « terroir, » even with the vast selection of available products. « My cuisine is always evolving, becoming more and more flavorful with extractions that highlight the essence of a product. »

THE WHITE OF THE PROFESSION

Arnaud Faye admits: « I can’t really say where my calling comes from. » After obtaining his certifications, he discovered fine cuisine with prestigious chefs such as Régis Marcon in Saulieu, Jean-Yves Klein in Alsace, and Thierry Marx at the Ritz. « You can’t cut corners in this profession: I had to learn about products, techniques, management, discipline, and precision… »

THE RED OF PASSION

For Arnaud, competitions are part of what makes the profession exciting.

It’s only natural that he accepted the challenge three years ago to become a chef at La Chèvre d’Or. « They sought me out…I had already worked with Julien (Editor’s Note: Julien Dugourd, head pastry chef at La Chèvre d’Or). It’s a legendary restaurant with an incredible amount of work. »

Despite several failures at the « Meilleur Ouvrier de France » competition, Arnaud Faye has been able to bounce back and win the much-deserved award. « You learn much more from your mistakes than from your achievements. If you stop trying, then you never get better. That’s the message: you don’t get something for nothing. »

His goal today? Win that elusive third star from the Michelin Guide! « We’re working on it, we’re getting closer every day. At the same time, it’s not an obsession. I’ve seen lots of chefs worry themselves sick about getting more stars. After all, life is about much more than just cooking! »