Under the sign of taste and excellence, the Chefs au Sommet d’Auron 2023 celebrated high gastronomy in the snows of the Mercantour, and eleven years of passion, sharing, conviviality and friendship driven by talented Chefs and Pastry Chefs.
Chefs au Sommet d’Auron 2023 : after the excitement of last year’s 10-year anniversary edition, the eleventh convivial and grandiose edition of the Mountain Gastronomy Festival offered peaks of culinary emotions, summits of tastes and mountains of flavours in the heart of the emblematic Mercantour ski resort from 14 to 19 January 2023. Under the honorary presidency of Chef Patrick Raingeard, the Festival brought together talented chefs and renowned pastry chefs from the Côte d’Azur who came to share an authentic moment of culinary pleasures and conviviality with the tourists and inhabitants of Haute Tinée – and also run delicious gourmet workshops at the foot of the slopes.
Chefs au Sommet d’Auron, an original recipe
Against the setting of the sumptuous Mercantour peaks, Les Chefs au Sommet d’Auron celebrated eleven years of Haute Gastronomy with an original recipe for culinary happiness and sharing. Take a selection of famous chefs, season it with the authentic flavours of our mountain products, spice up with a touch of gourmandise with cooking and pastry workshops for adults and children, and add a big ladle of relaxation, happiness and well-being. Heat up over the embers of friendship with the Toques Brûlées, and add one of their grains of madness at the beginning of the cooking. Finally, sprinkle with snowflakes (or sunbeams) and let it simmer for six days at the top of the Mediterranean Alps.
A moderate price of 55€
Under the patronage of Patrick Raingeard, the talented and endearing starred chef of La Table de Patrick Raingead at Cap Estel in Eze, the restaurants of the resort of Auron, Saint Étienne de Tinée and Saint Dalmas le Selvage have welcomed into their kitchens talented chefs and pastry chefs who have concocted sumptuous gourmet dinners at the privileged price of 55 euros for the inhabitants of the Haute Tinée and holidaymakers. As soon as the tempting programme was published, the dinners were snapped up by gourmets and quickly sold out!
At the opening gala dinner ©YesICannes.com
Memorable culinary experiences
These exceptional dinners were enjoyed by the fireplace, in the relaxed and warm atmosphere of the dining rooms with their wooded decor of mountain restaurants. The guest chefs mixed their signature dishes, which they wanted the inhabitants and tourists of the resort to discover, with dishes made from local products in order to highlight the richness of the local terroir.
High country locavore highlighted
Les Chefs au Sommet d’Auron sheds light on the products of the high country, fresh, organic and seasonal products, with a unique taste, a mountain gastronomy to be tasted in magnificent and peaceful landscapes. These raw materials are cultivated or raised by farmers and breeders who are passionate about their work and their land, such as those of the Montagnes Paysannes association, partners of the Mountain Gastronomy Festival, or the Bergerie de la Belloire, or the Safran du Mercantour, all of which invite culinary poetry and authentic flavours. The gastronomes thus savoured a very wide range of the French culinary art with the products from the region, sublimated and honoured by the organic and Locavore theme.
Gourmet after-ski
After the inauguration, for five days, the resort experienced summits of gastronomic pleasures with gourmet after-ski, fun workshops, culinary initiations and demonstrations followed by tastings at the Salle Rovery. Victor Delpierre, the World Barista/Cocktail Champion, creator of La Cuisine des Boissons, revealed to an attentive public the secrets of his original cocktail creations such as the Riounet, which has become the official drink of the resort. Lovers of “Mocktails” (non-alcoholic cocktails), Cocktails Gourmands, or the best French “Craft Spirits” were able to learn the world champion’s tricks and reproduce them at home.
Sharing secrets
Chefs and pastry chefs shared their know-how and tips for successful chef’s dishes. Déborah Georges (Auberge Lo Robur in Roure) presented an original “Vegetable Foie Gras and Pear Chutney”; David Graziani (Groupe Réaumur/Cucina Riviera in Cagnes sur Mer) gave the secret of success of “Oeuf Parfait” (cooking at 64.1°) while Yves Terrillon (La Cuisine des Fleurs in Antibes) shared the secrets of his famous “Foie Gras and Violet Bonbon”.
Advice applicable to other recipes
On the pastry side, Stéphane Mangin (Restaurant Georges Blanc*** in Vonnas), Ludovic Gambini (Chateau Eza**** in Eze), Marc Payeur (Pains et Pâtisseries Carabacel in Nice), Pascal Picasse (La Bastide St Antoine* in Grasse) and Séverine Lemaire (La Cerise sur le Gâteau in Drap) demonstrated their formidable talents and gave their precious advice on how to make their creations, advice that can be applied to many other recipes.
Toques Brûlées, the sweet madness
On Sunday 15 January 2023, the Mountain Gastronomy Festival spoiled skiers and gourmets: breakfast was offered at the foot of the slopes followed by the now traditional giant barbecue with tasting of grills concocted on the embers of friendship by the Toques Brûlées led by the couple of chefs Noëlle and David Faure. Unleashed by the supercharged atmosphere distilled by DJ Fred Rebuffo, some twenty chefs set the snow front ablaze with their gastronomic delights to the delight of the skiers in the area.
Some of the chefs’ dinners at Chefs au Sommet d’Auron (click on links)
Ballade en Sous-bois, Dîner de Gala en Ouverture orchestrated by the students from Lycée Jeanne et Paul Augier.
Julien Roucheteau et Christophe Canet at La Table du Chalet
Nhut Nguyen et Stéphane Mangin au Bistronome
Alexandre Martin et Mathieu Marchand à l’Alisier
Aurélien Martin et Yohan Gouverneur aux 3 Marmottes
Jérôme Clavel et Séverine Lemaire aux Canailles
Friendship, sharing, gastronomy and good humour
The Festival de la Gastronomie was born from the initiative of members of the Auron and Saint Étienne de Tinée Traders’ Association who, having developed friendships with many starred chefs in the region, created the festival in February 2012 with just a few chefs. The Festival now brings together many chefs who host the event in a friendly atmosphere. Under the sign of taste and excellence, the Chefs au Sommet d’Auron transforms the emblematic Mercantour ski resort into the capital of mountain gastronomy and Auron asserts itself more than ever as a stronghold of French gastronomy!
Les Chefs au Sommet d’Auron, eleventh edition!
The gastronomic event Les Chefs au Sommet d’Auron is organised by the association des Commerçants et Artisans d’Auron et Saint Étienne de Tinée with the support of the municipality of Saint Étienne de Tinée, the Tourist Office, the SEM des Cimes du Mercantour and the Chambre des Métiers des Alpes-Maritimes and the Artisans Arts et Délice.
Faithful and prestigious partners
Like any large-scale event, the Auron Culinary Festival benefits from the support of numerous partners who made the Chefs au Sommet d’Auron sparkle. A lunch at the Brasserie paid tribute to their contribution: Chefs au Sommet d’Auron 2023, Thank You Partners!
Auron, a resort for all pleasures
Less than an hour and a half away from the Côte d’Azur, at the gateway to the Mercantour National Park, the resort of Auron offers at an altitude of 1,600 m a skiable area of 135 km over 4 sectors: Las Donnas, Sauma Long, Demandols and Lieuson, with 43 runs, including 9 black, 15 red, 16 blue and 3 green. For a holiday that harmoniously combines skiing, conviviality, relaxation, authenticity and entertainment, the Chefs au Sommet d’Auron festival brings a gastronomic touch that highlights winter, the summits and local products.
Photos ©YesICannes.com et ©Christophe Giraudeau
Les Chefs au Sommet d’Auron
From 14 to 19 January 2023
Restaurants in Auron, St Étienne de Tinée and St Dalmas-le-Selvage
Information: Auron Tourist Office
Tel: +33 (0)4 93 23 02 66
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