The way Benjamin found himself as a commis chef at the Bocuse d’Or 2017 at the age of 21 reveals quite a lot about his energy and ambition:
“I had dreamed of it for a long time. I was fascinated by the Bocuse d’Or, which I used to follow, particularly Thibaut Ruggeri. When I saw Laurent Lemal win the French selection round, I decided to go and work at his restaurant so I could be alongside him. After the European rounds, he asked me to be his commis chef. I’m still in contact with him, and also with Franck Putelat, Anne Daudin…”
The Bocuse d’Or has become a central part of his life… He dreams of returning… let’s take that as meaning “as a candidate”!
Since this venture, he has kept pushing forward to gain experience. He has worked among others with Arnaud Donckele, and was involved in the opening of the 4 Seasons in Megève.
He also worked at a brasserie in Saint-Raphaël, to get to see something new. His curiosity (an indispensable quality in winning any cooking contest) has now pushed him to leave for several months on a trip to Asia with his girlfriend, Caroline Fèvre, who also works in the hotel-catering world after studying at the Institut Paul Bocuse.
Since his return, he first joined the team of the Meilleur family at the famous Savoyard restaurant La Bouitte, crowned with 3 Michelin stars.
Then he was offered a first position as chef at Chalet Zanier in Megève… and a new position as chef at the Hôtel Cœur de Megève since July 2022.
His advice for commis chefs at the Bocuse d’Or: “I’m currently trying to persuade a friend to do it ?. Never let anything go, believe in your dreams. Work and keep working…”
