A starred chef, star of Top Chef, who leaves his Parisian address to return to cook on the edge of a Doubs lake: Matthias Marc’s change of direction intrigues as much as it makes lovers of beautiful restaurants dream. After twelve years spent in Paris, the Jura native is preparing a new gastronomic chapter in his native region. And behind this choice, he says it himself, there is a real “gut appeal”.
Originally from Appenans, between Besançon and Montbéliard, the chef is preparing to open a restaurant in Malbuisson, on the shore of Lake Saint-Point, by summer 2026. A return to basics thought of as the project of his life, which begins with a page turning in Paris and a completely redesigned house in Haut-Doubs.
From Franche-Comté to Paris, Matthias Marc’s express journey
As a child, Matthias Marc grew up in the middle of the Doubs forests, his parents being foresters. His taste for raw products was born there, before taking shape at the Hyacinthe Friant hotel school in Poligny where he studied for five years. Very quickly, his cuisine was nourished by his Franche-Comté terroir and Jura wines.
At just 25 years old, he opened Substance in 2018 in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, then followed with Liquide et Braise. Semi-finalist of Top Chef in 2021, he imposes a culinary signature where gnocchi with vin jaune, cancoillotte and ultra-readable plates already tell the story of his region. Substance won a Michelin star and became the chef’s first great adventure.
“It’s the call of the guts”: why he left Substance to return to Doubs
Matthias Marc carried this new beginning with him for a long time. , he confides to France 3 Régions. In the fall, he announced his departure from Substance on December 31, 2025 and delivered a more developed message: , he explains to Nouvelles Gastronomiques.
Behind this choice, there is the need to get closer to loved ones. , he said again. The chef also wants to reconnect with a more peaceful pace of life and a natural environment that inspires his cuisine. To symbolize this turning point, he planned to connect Paris to Franche-Comté by bike, approximately 600 km, and to tell the story of the birth of his future restaurant over the stages.
La Maison des Cimes and La Table des Cimes in Malbuisson: an HQ on the shores of Lake Saint-Point
Matthias Marc’s project takes place in the former Atelier de Donat, in Malbuisson, renamed La Maison des Cimes. This hotel-restaurant with around ten rooms overlooks Lake Saint-Point and is ultimately aiming for the Relais et Châteaux label. At the heart of the house, the gourmet restaurant will be called La Table des Cimes, with an opening announced for July 2026.
La Maison des Cimes will bring together two experiences: a very committed gastronomic restaurant and a more accessible Franche-Comté bistro, with cooking over a wood fire in a nod to the chef’s childhood among the forests. The products will come from Haut-Doubs and Jura, from cheeses to cold meats, including vegetables and wines. , he insists. Alongside Matthias Marc, his wife and partner Hanna Marc designs the interior architecture, while chef Sylvain Courivaud and sommelier Eulalie Mariton complete the team. Reservations will open as the work progresses, which the chef is already sharing on his social networks.
When will Matthias Marc’s new restaurant open in Doubs?
La Table des Cimes, the gourmet restaurant at La Maison des Cimes in Malbuisson, is aiming to open in the summer of 2026, with a date announced for July 2026 if the project goes as planned.
Where is La Table des Cimes by Matthias Marc located in Malbuisson?
La Table des Cimes will take place within La Maison des Cimes, in the former Atelier de Donat, at 4 chemin des Landes, 25160 Malbuisson, on the shore of Lake Saint-Point.
What will be the culinary concept of Matthias Marc’s restaurant on the shores of Lake Saint-Point?
The project brings together a gourmet restaurant and a Franche-Comté bistro, with cooking over a wood fire and a cuisine centered on local products from Haut-Doubs and Jura, in continuity with the world of Substance.
