We had the opportunity to spend our weekend at the Auberge du Jeu de Paume in the heart of Chantilly. There, we spoke to Michelin-starred Chef Julien Lucas about what makes La Table du CONNETABLE successful, what inspires him, and some insider tips on Chantilly. Here are his thoughts.
Note: the interview has been translated from French and edited for brevity.
Q&A with Michelin Starred Chef Julien Lucas
Maria: What makes your restaurant successful?
Chef Lucas: for me, it is important to give value to the region, give our clients the opportunity to taste the flavors of Picardie while coming to both restaurants at the hotel, La Table du Connetable, and Le Jardin d’Hiver. I want them to taste something different.
Maria: How’s did it feel to have awarded a Michelin star?
Chef Lucas: It’s a great satisfaction, as we work to please our clients. Their responses are positive, and we got rewarded with the Michelin star. We are very proud, and it is excellent recognition for the team and me.
Maria: What is the creative process behind your dishes?
Chef Lucas: It is vital for us to show what is essential. When we offer the menu to our clients, it should not be extensively long; we don’t like to give 3 minutes of speeches. The dish should focus on three ingredients. It is essential to rediscover a flavor that the clients know and discover new ones.
Maria: Why did you choose Chantilly?
Chef Lucas: I knew about this location (Chantilly) because of its reputation. Here is where I have the responsibility of the Chef for the first time. When I knew the chef was leaving, I jumped immediately on this opportunity because the establishment is fantastic and the city as well.
There is an enormous potential as there due to the wealth in Chantilly. There is a universe of choices that I enjoy: the castle, the golf, the luxury world, and our hotel is a good representation for all of these elements with a balance of elegance and modesty. We see many classic cars that I love arriving at the property. It is “Elegance a la Francaise.” Most of our clients come here mainly to take a break.
Maria: Can you tell us about your favorite creation on the menu?
Chef Lucas: Yes, there is one: “zander and Portobello mushrooms from Orry-La-Ville and hazelnut.” The mushrooms are collected from a local farmer 3 kilometers away, and every morning he picks 3 or 4 fresh mushrooms especially for us. We make our sauce from fish stock with a touch of whiskey. This plate is very famous and frequently requested by our clients.
Maria: What would you like for your guests to remember from their dining experience?
Chef Lucas: It is nice when our clients say that it was nice, but the best compliment for me is when they tell me that they rediscover a vegetable unknown to them or one they did not like. I work a lot with vegetables, and in this region, we have a variety that is not liked during childhood such as bitter endives or earthy red beets. Therefore, we need to work well with these products to increase their value and ensure our clients will appreciate them. If I can achieve that, then I can go home with a great feeling. Typically, in a gastronomic restaurant, the clients like to discover and try new tastes trusting the chef.
Maria: Tell me about the process of pairing wine and food?
Chef Lucas: I love wine but I’m a wine amateur, and I have full trust in my team, so we work together on the selection. Basically, when I propose a new dish, I let maître de hotel and sommelier try it, and we taste it together. I like to create contrasts between the food and the wine; if we are serving a sweet fish, we need to pair it with wine that will increase the palate.
The menu is changed several times during the year. Although we have 4 seasons, we’ve changed more than 4 times. In fact, every 2 months. After the summer holidays, we change the menu. In December we will offer the winter menu, and then we will replace it again in the new year.
I am always thinking about the creation of a new dish and provide new choices to our clients to give pleasure. We share emotions with our creations.
Maria: Our readers enjoy local tips from chefs. What three places do you recommend for visitors to see?
Chef Lucas:
- The Great Stables
- The forest for those who like to do sports, like jogging, biking or a stroll along the lakes
About Our Dining Experience:
We had the pleasure to choose out of 6 different bottles of Champagne including a rosé Champagne.
We selected the gastronomic menu of the season called “De Saison” paired with wine selection made by sommelier Ms. Amelie Allot, a 23-year old sommelier at the property:
- Alsace Grand Cru 2014, Schlossberg, Riesling Blanck
- Olivier Pithon, Cotes Catalanes, Cuvee Lais, 2015
- Cote-Rotie, Clusel-Roch, France, 2015
- Domaine Rougeot Pere & Fils, Meursault, Sous la Velle, 2014
It was a real pleasure to meet Executive Chef Julien Lucas and rest of the diverse team at La table du Connetable. They are all very young and enthusiastic about their roles, and it was great to interact with everybody. We could feel the team spirit and collaboration which made our experience quite unique! I was happily surprised to meet for the first time a woman sommelier, great to see female representation in these critical culinary roles.
Before leaving the dining room, Chef Julien Lucas was kind enough to sign our menus to remember our culinary experience!
Tip: don’t forget to enjoy the beautiful collection of Chantilly porcelain at the entrance of the restaurant, it is quite difficult to find these days….
La Table du Connétable, 4 Rue du Connétable, 60500 Chantilly, France Website
Disclaimer: I was graciously hosted by Auberge du Jeu de Paume. As always, opinions are my own and it was a true pleasure to meet Chef Julien Lucas.
