David Toutain has been running his Restaurant David Toutain in Paris since 2013: two Michelin stars since 2020 and a green star for sustainability, thanks to his avant-garde vegetable cuisine, shaped by masters such as Alain Passard, Andoni Luis Aduriz, and Paul Liebrandt.
Born on November 29, 1981, in Flers, Normandy, and raised on his grandparents' farm, Toutain developed a love for herbs, flowers, and tubers at an early age. At 15, he did his first internship in a kitchen; at 20, he joined Alain Passard's L'Arpège, where he encountered the vegetable-based cuisine that would define his style. This was followed by experiences with Bernard Loiseau, Marc Veyrat, Mugaritz in Spain, and Corton in New York, before returning to France as chef at Agapé Substance (2011-2012), a Parisian laboratory of “high molecular cuisine.”
In December 2013, he opened his own restaurant on Rue Surcouf (7th arrondissement). He received his first star in 2015 and his second in 2020, which was confirmed in 2025, along with the Green Star, which rewards the very short supply chain (producers from Orne, vegetable garden in Île-de-France, ancient grains) and the total reduction of waste.
The menu—a single 8- or 12-course tasting menu—changes every eight weeks: iconic dishes include potato peel bouillon, foie gras, and truffles (a tribute to Norman peasant cuisine), glazed Jerusalem artichokes, coffee, and zabaglione, and Passard-style carrots cooked in the ground. Light wood, overhead lighting, and an open kitchen create a Nordic loft where the “Forêt & Jardin” menu celebrates Sologne mushrooms, Breton seaweed, and dairy products from small fromageries.
Since 2022, he has also been at the helm of Feuille in Hong Kong (1 Michelin star and a green star), a laboratory for local fruits and leaves. At the same time, he collaborates with Ruinart on the Food for Art 2024 project and participates in Identità Golose and Bocuse d'Or Winners Lab conferences, promoting regenerative agriculture and ethical fishing supply chains.
