He is known everywhere as the chef of the mountains, and presides over the family inn transformed into a temple of gastronomic excellence. His reputation won at the Bocuse d’Or and above all the quality of his cuisine have attracted both local and international gourmets to his base in the village of St Bonnet-le-Froid. They all come in search of fine flavours that transform simple foods such as mushrooms and Le Puy lentils into an unforgettable gastronomic experience, and find a warm family welcome for which his wife Michele is largely responsible. With the opening in 2005 of the new Restaurant Régis et Jacques Marcon (Michelin 3*), he realised his dream of building a decidedly modern establishment at the top of a hill overlooking the natural surroundings that have always fascinated and inspired him. Diners can stay at the hotel, which was awarded an Ecolabel in 2009 for its design and environmentally-friendly operation. The restaurant also gave his son, Jacques, the opportunity to convert the passion handed down by his father into a trade primarily chosen for pleasure. They form a tandem that works well and gives Régis the time to devote himself to missions he holds dear, including the one entrusted to him by the Sarkozy then Macron governments: to set up, with the profession, an apprenticeship development programme, then help give the manual and technical trades a stronger and more valued place in French schools. But he is always coming up with new projects for his cherished village and, in 2015, he also opened a fitness centre in the mountains, in partnership with his son Thomas, a physical education teacher.
