Guy Savoy's gastronomic adventure begins in his mother Marie-Léonie's countryside bar, where he gains a love for food and respect for the cycles of nature. His experiences in top restaurants and continuous investment in his own restaurant have propelled him to the pinnacle of French cuisine and beyond, with generous dishes like the iconic artichoke soup.
Guy Savoy was born on July 24, 1953, in Nevers. His father worked as a municipal gardener, while his mother was a cook at a countryside eatery called "Buvette de l'Esplanade" in Bourgoin-Jallieu, where the family moved when he was two years old. The establishment started as a simple bar, but his mother infused it with energy, gradually transforming it into a fast-food restaurant and eventually an elegant place renamed "L'Esplanade." It was here that Savoy had his initiation into the world of food, gaining not only sensory but also a deep appreciation for seasonal cooking. "I consider myself lucky to have a mother who cooks incredibly well and quickly. I was touched by the pleasure of eating. When we were young, we had no other culinary benchmarks than her cooking. And indeed, I immediately understood that it was delicious and gave me immense pleasure to eat it."
Despite his love for indulging in food, working in the kitchen wasn't initially his top choice. Savoy dreamt of being a horticulturist due to his passion for nature and flowers. However, one day, he found himself forced to replace his mother in the kitchen and improvised with great success. He discovered a passion for the culinary profession and decided to become a chef himself. In 1969, he began his apprenticeship in Bourgoin under pastry chef and chocolatier Louis Marchand. A year later, at the age of seventeen, he joined the prestigious "Maison Troisgros," where he befriended another commis destined to make history in French cuisine: the unfortunate Bernard Loiseau.
After three years, Savoy moved to work at "Lasserre" in Paris, followed by a stint at Louis Outhier's three-starred restaurant "L'Oasis" in La Napoule on the French Riviera.
In 1977, he returned to Paris to work as the chef at Claude Verger's "Barrière de Clichy," succeeding his friend Loiseau. But it was time to start his own venture, and in 1980, he opened his eponymous restaurant on rue Duret. Just one year after its opening, "Guy Savoy" already received its first Stars, which doubled in 1985. The restaurant moved to more spacious premises on rue Troyon in 1987, accompanied by its Stars. The cuisine, unpretentious yet refined, and reminiscent of the rustic origins, pleased Parisians and won over colleagues. "Sobriety, common sense, without artifice, and animated by a deep respect for nature," described Michel Troisgros.
Between 1987 and 1997, Savoy opened seven bistros in Paris, working tirelessly. In 2000, it was time to renovate his two-star restaurant. Another passion of the chef is contemporary art, as he dabbles as a collector. This is how the restaurant's spaces, renovated by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, gradually adorned themselves with stunning artworks. The concept was that of a "19th-century inn," modifiable through a combination of fixed and movable partitions. The crowning achievement came in 2002 with the third Stars, a distinction that lasted uninterrupted for twenty years until 2022 when the chef announced, "This year, we lost the game, but next year we will win it again."
In 2006, another restaurant, "Guy Savoy in Las Vegas," opened, earning Two MICHELIN Stars. He has authored ten books, enjoyed lending his voice to a character in the film Ratatouille, and held institutional positions. The restaurant became even more beautiful when, in 2015, it relocated once again to the 18th-century building "Hotel de la Monnaie" on quai de Conti.
Savoy secured the top spot on the "Liste of all the world's chefs" for six consecutive years, from 2017 to 2022, thanks to his generous and indulgent cuisine. The timeless icon is the artichoke soup with black truffle and puff pastry with mushrooms, evoking a countryside ambiance. "Cooking is the art of transforming ingredients into joy," claims the chef. The focus of his dishes lies not solely on technique and precision but also on sensitivity and heart.
