His first gastronomic memory remains the pot-au-feu his grandmother cooked every Sunday. “The aromas that reached me when I entered the kitchen are a memory I will keep for the rest of my life.”
After studying at the hospitality school in Le Mans, Philippe Mille joined the Aubergade de Pontchartrain at the age of 15. Meeting Jean Bordier proved decisive for his career. Bordier taught him all the fundamentals of “Escoffier-style” cuisine. Then Louis Grondard, from the restaurant Drouant, taught him discipline and rigor at work; Frédéric Anton, at Le Pré Catelan, passed on to him a sense of finesse in dishes; and Michel Roth, at the Ritz, gave him a taste for competitions. Finally, Yannick Alléno, with whom he worked for more than ten years, helped him build his culinary path and refine his knowledge.
Philippe Mille describes his cuisine as “classical, updated for today’s tastes.” Sensitive to balance and eager to draw inspiration from sources beyond cooking, he relaxes by swimming and also enjoys traveling, with a particular fondness for Asia. He even learned Japanese.
January 2010 marked both a personal and professional turning point: he left the capital for Champagne, where he took charge of the kitchens at Les Crayères. In 2011, he earned a Michelin star and the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France! Riding the same momentum, he was awarded a second Michelin star in 2012. In 2008, he created the Trophée Mille, which every year brings together young students from many countries to celebrate cuisine in a spirit of friendship.
2024 became the landmark year: he spread his wings and opened his own restaurant in Reims, Arbane. A place that perfectly embodies everything he loves, where he offers inventive and refined cuisine deeply rooted in the Champagne terroir. The restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 2025, followed by a second the following year.
