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Delphine Revol
Published on
Nov. 6 2024 at 9:06 p.m
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Barely arrived, and the menu is already revolutionized. Lilian Douchet is the new head of P’tit Yard a you Nasturtiumthe dining bar and the restaurant Coppélia Gardenshas Pennedepie (Calvados). A face which is not unknown to the general public, at least to M6 viewers since Lilian Douchet participated in the show Top Chef in 2022, triumphing until the quarter-final.
A favorite for the site
On the eve of his 32nd birthday, the young chef took up his duties in this majestic establishment which overlooks the sea, between Villerville and Honfleurafter falling in love with the site. On the advice of his in-laws, originally from Honfleur, he went there:
“my mother-in-law, who is a customer here, told me they were looking for a chef. And as I was looking to settle here to be closer to my darling, I needed a new project.”
And the evidence was there:
“as soon as I arrived, I fell in love with the Coppélia Gardens.”
After meeting the owners, Grégory Guinard and Alexandra Lorin-GuinardLilian Douchet was reinforced in her desire to work in a large structure that keeps the family tradition:
“their working philosophy is close to mine: a self-sufficient vegetable garden, an eco-responsible approach and goodwill with the teams. All that speaks to me.”
Enough to give free rein to your creativity in the kitchen:
“I have carte blanche over the two restaurants”
rejoices the young leader who is building his team.
The one who set up his first restaurant in Paris 13th (Dame Augustine) two years ago, will share his working time between these two establishments. “The first months, I will stay 100% here, but ultimately, the plan is to spend four days in Normandy, three days in Paris.”
The wine bar becomes a dining bar
Apartment found in Honfleur, here is Lilian Douchet definitely Normand. A region that he knows well and that he also loves for its gastronomy. This is evidenced by the menu that he completely changed after the departure of the previous chef for other projects. Starting with that of P’tit Yard, the wine bar of the Jardins de Coppélia, transformed into “ dining bar ».
“I want to make it a place that has its own identity, where we can enjoy small plates in the tapas spirit while drinking good organic or natural wines, without murdering people with exorbitant prices.”
The new chef wants to open his dining bar to as many people as possible:
“I don’t want it to be a tourist bar, but for everyone to feel good there.”
There is no doubt that the small fireplace that sits in the place will comfort customers and the background music chosen by the chef is an integral part of the place: “that it makes people smile”.
The dishes from the dining bar will come from the same kitchens as the Capucine but will be different: “the slate of P’tit Yard will change every two to three days, depending on the products I have in the kitchen and according to my desires,” smiles the young chef.
An exotic touch to dishes
Accustomed to working with gastronomy, with ten years of experience in the greatest kitchens in France, Lilian Douchet also brings touches brought back from South America and Asia:
“I had the chance to travel a lot, I lived 6 months in Brazil and I was in Asia.”
Thus, if the basis of his dishes will be more contemporary bistro style, the classic dishes will be influenced by his travels.
Without forgetting the shellfish, which the young chef loves.
“For example, at the moment, I have celery remoulade on the menu, which many people don’t like, but I have rebalanced it with razor clams, seawater and citrus mayonnaise. with fresh herbs to refresh the whole”…
Duck à l’orange is revisited with carrots in three different ways. The same goes for Paris-Brest made with cabbage and buckwheat cream.
From great restaurants to TV sets
Originally from Picardy, Lilian Douchet arrived with her family in the Paris region at the age of 12. Although her parents are not in the profession, Lilian has always been attracted to cooking, lulled by cooking shows on TV from a very young age. “I alternated between cartoons and Joël Robuchon,” smiles the young gastro chef he has now become.
At 14, Lilian Douchet completed a BEP and a Bac Pro cuisine in the Paris region, and spent her work-study period in a 1-star Michelin restaurant, the Auberge de la Brie (77).
He then accumulated experiences in renowned restaurants: L’Assiette champenoise near Reims, L’Amandier de Mougins on the Côte d’Azur, Le Paloma, Le restaurant des fishermen in Antibes, La Truffière in Paris (1 star), then The George V where he worked for three years.
Top Chef, season 13
In 2020, Lilian Douchet should open her restaurant but the Covid crisis took everyone by surprise and Lilian, hampered in her catering projects, decided to launch into mass distribution. He quickly became supermarket manager in Beauvais. Then in 2021, he ended up agreeing to participate in the show Top Chef, season 13: “they had been calling me for 6 years, but I was not interested, I am a very, very shy person and television is not my thing.” But the desire to return to catering sooner or later was on his mind: “I said to myself, why not, it’s an opportunity to make up for lost time and get started again.”
The filming experience lasts three months, a long time completely cut off from loved ones, due to confinement. “It was super interesting, being with all these great chefs, but it was very hard not seeing my family.”
Back in real life, Lilian Douchet asks questions and ends up launching two restaurants in 2022: Le Lil’Home in Bordeaux and Dame Augustine in Paris. “The media side of Top Chef has the advantage of filling the restaurants from the opening, but over time, you have to do nice things to keep customers coming back.”
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