His table bears his name. A choice quite simply guided by the great determination of this young chef. And yet, he began his apprenticeship in the kitchen of a clinic in Sion to have free time for his hobbies. It was in London where he arrived at the age of 19 to learn English that he was “stunned by gastronomy”. He stayed there for almost seven years, starting in the kitchens of Swiss chef Anton Mosimann in his private London dining club, then in those of chef Gordon Ramsey’s one-star restaurant “where it all began, learning rigor and precision”, and finally three years in the two-starred restaurant of chef Claude Bosi where he accomplished the feat of being promoted to the position of second at only 25 years old, “Very very physically hard, very intense, it was not an easy road, but the result is there. Back home, during the Covid, with his faithful companion Letizia met at school at 17, they opened together a first very confidential establishment in Chandolin, which experienced dazzling success. “French-speaking discovery of the year” by Gault et Millau just three months after opening, a red star and a green star at Michelin awarded simultaneously a year later! Galvanized by this success, since last spring they have been installed in their new restaurant at the height of their talent and their ambitions. Not so far, in the heart of a small village in the commune of Savièse, Saint-Germain, in place of the old football field where Gilles played as a child and 200 meters from his birthplace, the new establishment occupies the ground floor of a brand new building. The chef was thus able to give free rein to his wildest desires, including a magnificent, completely open kitchen, a central point of attraction for all guests. With its perfect aesthetic, this work laboratory in the heart of the room blends completely into the avant-garde decorative spirit of the tables of northern Europe. Seated at the long kitchen counter or at one of the solid wood tables, seated in light leather, all eyes are focused on the precise spectacle of the polyglot brigade, very concentrated, the rare words exchanged are in English. Then gradually, attention refocuses on the plates, ephemeral culinary paintings that the chef makes a point of personally presenting to each table. Gilles Varone’s cuisine, which he describes as “daring with a punch of taste”, can be enjoyed with voluptuousness, but also with the good conscience that accompanies responsible cooking. The Michelin green star not only recognizes this chef’s commitment to his work with quality local products, but also to their promotion. He doesn’t just list local producers on his menu, he tells us about them. This chef “well in his time” is also very visionary. As evidenced by his non-alcoholic food and drink pairing developed with his young sommelier, it is simply astonishing. A homemade soda with fir syrup and verjuice served in a champagne flute to accompany a tempura nettle leaf and a cold parfait, a kombucha with coffee and hazelnut oil with a surprising length in the mouth or a carrot juice with turmeric to enhance a piece of Champéry lamb. Each glass is in harmony with the dish it accompanies and adds an additional, most delightful taste discovery.
gillesvarone.ch
