Gastronomy. In Manche, “L’Auberge Sauvage” crowned best restaurant in the world

On the borders of the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, in the small village of Servon, the establishment has become an institution. Already awarded a green star in the Michelin guide, two Gault et Millau prizes and the Fooding prize, Auberge Sauvage has just been awarded the prize for “The list of the table to explore”. A label that recognizes the best restaurants worldwide.

The news filled Jessica Schein, restaurateur, and Thomas Bénady, son of an oenologist and lifelong cooking enthusiast, with joy: Auberge Sauvage has just been awarded the prize for “The list of the table to explore”, an honor international.

We went to collect our prize at the Ministry of Agriculture in Paris. We have our heads in the woods, we don't know the selection process well. We must have been chosen by critics and chefs, some of whom come to dine with us. Is there a connection, perhaps? In any case, we are very proud, of course.

Jessica Schein, restaurateur and Thomas Bénady, chef at Auberge Sauvage

It must be said that the dishes prepared by the chef are commensurate with the place. Guests are welcomed in a 16th century building, a former presbytery with rustic charm but furnished in a modern way. The combination of different genres is a passion for the couple of restaurateurs.

In her role as hostess, Madame manages the room down to the smallest detail, from decoration to table setting, including the choice of wines that accompany the dishes, all natural, and carefully selected from winegrowers they know well.

For his part, the cook at the stove uses his imagination to exercise his art, always surprising and wild, like his immediate environment and the products it produces. Everything is seasonal and homemade, reminiscent of the master chef, from cured meats to vinegars and breakfast jams. Because the inn restaurant also has rooms.

We favor products from the bay of Mont Saint-Michel. Our menus are designed based on the catch of the day, the meats available, particularly in winter, and the harvest from local market gardeners and our vegetable garden.

Thomas Bénady, chef at Auberge Sauvage”

One of the secrets of the taste of the assortments is the products grown in the vegetable garden adjoining the restaurant. Depending on the season, the couple draws vegetables, fruits, aromatic herbs and flowers to add color to certain dishes. The result is a simple, minimal, plant-based cuisine that nevertheless enhances the flavors.

Vegetable sausage stuffed with celery and garden herbs creates an unforgettable memory. Or, a dish of potatoes in an ash-salt crust served over charcoal, accompanied by a bowl of tangy, airy mashed potatoes with reduced potato juice, garnished with a meringue with potato. He is also a sensation.

Dishes like these, Thomas Bénady can offer between eight and fifteen according to a menu outline. which he changes according to his moods and the seasonal products available to him.

He specifies that fish and shellfish dominate the symphony, coming from a specific landing in Granville or a dive in Saint-Malo for scallops for example. The meat is rarer but does exist… Bayeux pig, or Normandy breed of pork which takes the time to mature to increase the taste.

Also read: PORTRAIT. Michelin green star, Thomas Benady, a chef with a wild spirit

A know-how acquired over fifteen years through his experiences in the Parisian establishments he previously owned. Back since 2021 in an environment that he wanted to be more authentic, Thomas Bénady, inspired by nature, is struck today by success and recognition.

Soon invited to Indonesia, he will put all his talent at the service of the global influence of French cuisine.