Coming from a family of restaurateurs, this eminently talented chef, originally from here, is the gastronomic pride of the Vendée. If you are passing through Noirmoutier, La Marine is a gourmet stopover in-con-tour-na-ble, just as the Gois is a unique site to see. The fairies must have been looking over Alexander's cradle 35 years ago... And yet there was no sign of Alexander's promising future as a cabinetmaker. After following a classical training course (CAP-BEP then Bac Pro), he decided to join the Compagnons du Tour de France. It is on this occasion that he rubbed shoulders with the finest of French gastronomy, during experiments at Michel Guérard in Eugénie-les-Bains, Georges Paineau in Questembert, the famous and ingenious Thierry Marx in Pauillac... Rich in experience, he decided to return to his native Vendée and opened, at the age of 23, his restaurant, La Marine, the first of the name, which has now become La Table d'Elise, where he offers fine and convivial cuisine faithful to the traditions of the Vendée and with an excellent value for money. The years following Alexandre's installation are crowned with success, since 3 years later, he already harvested a Bib Gourmand in 2002. Passionate, inventive, perfectionist and daring, he was rewarded in 2007 with a first star, then in 2008 as the Grand Chef of Tomorrow, and finally in 2013 with a second star in the Michelin Guide, placing him in the prestigious restricted club of "two-macaroons". And the great rewards don't stop there, since he received, in addition to his 4 Toques, the Gault et Millau d'or in 2015, and was elected Chef of the Year by the Champérard guide. He's probably one of the most successful chefs of the younger generation, and it's so well-deserved. What we also like about his charming wife Céline and him is their humility. His philosophy of cooking evolves around the elements that populate and shape his beautiful island of Noirmoutier. Marked by tradition the menu follows the seasonal variations around exquisite dishes that combine flavours around the sea, the land, the woods, herbs, grains and plants, smoke... The beautiful story continues and is written every day on the plates... to the delight of fine gourmets
Portrait of a chef : Alexandre Couillon, The Navy - Noirmoutier
Updated on 28/08/2024
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by
Linda CASTAGNIE