In Joigny, in Yonne, a 34-year-old chef has taken over the reins of a house that gourmets know by heart. By settling into the kitchen at , Alexandre Bondoux knew that he would carry the legacy of Michel and Jean-Michel Lorain on his shoulders.
The title of Gault et Millau d’Or Bourgogne-Franche-Comté 2027, awarded on June 29, 2026 at the Château de Saulon, today confirms this risk-taking. For the double-starred restaurant crowned with 4 toques, as for the chef, this distinction changes the way we look at the family home.
A prize that validates a leader, not just an heir
entrusts Alexandre Bondoux to France 3 Régions. For him, this trophy is first of all a personal recognition, after years of training outside Joigny then a return in 2019 to prepare for the handover alongside his uncle.
In the same interview, he summarizes his project: . Its cuisine follows the rhythm of the market and the seasons, while keeping the benchmarks that have made the house’s reputation.
La Côte Saint-Jacques, a historic house to reinvent
Founded in 1945 by Marie Lorain, it became, with Michel then Jean-Michel Lorain, a monument of French gastronomy in Joigny. Today, Alexandre embodies the fourth generation and must bring together memory and novelty, in particular around a few emblematic dishes:
- Bresse chicken with champagne
- the floating caviar island
- more personal creations like a lobster blanquette with ginger
The pressure is immense, he does not hide it: , he explains again. Since 2023, he has claimed this requirement as a driving force to write his own page.
What the guide inspectors saw in Joigny
For the investigators of the yellow guide, this Gault et Millau d’Or is not a simple encouragement. During the visits, they had the feeling that he was in the house. Marc Esquerré, director of investigations for , speaks about , quoted by France 3 Régions.
The guide believes that the time had come to say that Alexander is a leader in his own right. The reward is presented as . Between the banks of the Yonne and this historic room, the house founded by Marie Lorain continues to evolve, carried by a new voice without denying its history.
Who is Alexandre Bondoux?
Chef, 34 years old, fourth generation in .
What does the Gault et Millau d’Or Bourgogne-Franche-Comté 2027 represent for him?
His first major individual award awarded by the guide.
How does Alexandre Bondoux change La Côte Saint-Jacques?
By combining historical dishes and more personal seasonal creations.
