Creativity and local produce in the Loire

It is the region where Michel Troisgros officiates, crowned best chef in the world by Zagat, but the illustrious chef is closely followed by young talented chefs and lovers of their region. Lionel Githenay is one of those.

Starred by Michelin in this beautiful impressive house, surrounded with parkland for less than ten years, he confesses he has benefited from the influence of one of his masters, Michel Bras, the chef of Laguiole.

One of his flagship dishes, for which some gourmets do not hesitate to travel many kilometres, is the «salad of lobster with apple jam and Mirabelle plum juice and the vegetables of the market» with flowers to be crunched.

According to the season, the salad takes on colours with the wild pansy, the flowers of elder, nasturtium, marigold ... And everyone is crazy about it.

The Chef is also inspired by local produce and prepares the ardéchois criques (a delicious pancake of potatoes and spices), but in his way; he uses and overuses the mushrooms which grow in the surrounding meadows and wood and imagines, for example, for dessert, a "frozen Eskimo with pumpkin, white cheese with chocolate, praline and fritters with boletus" which resolutely asserts his very personal style.

When you know that the décor was completely redone in a contemporary spirit which is more in accordance with the spirit of the cuisine, all you will have to do is to make a note of Iris!

Recipe: Lavender cream