In Megève, the arrival of Christmas marks the return of happy meals, delicious meals simmered for hours, precious shared moments. What if this year you forget the traditional Christmas dishes? Starter, main course or dessert, let yourself be inspired by the chefs who, lovers of the mountains and local products, have cooked up recipes that are as Savoyard as they are delicious, from the Lamartine chalet. Thus, in each recipe, find all the flavors of the Savoie Mont-Blanc territory, but also the unique flavor of reunions, with family or friends, around a joyous table.
Marc Veyrat, an icon of alpine gastronomy
Under the iconic black hat hides a prodigy of alpine gastronomy. However, he did not go to great cooking schools, nor even was a student of an illustrious chef. Her inspiration comes from the mountain and its products. Faithful to his Haute-Savoie origins, Marc Veyrat works with aromatic plants from the Alps and local products that he sometimes grows himself.
In 1977, after having multiplied odd jobs and learned the trade in his parents' inn, Marc Veyrat opened his first restaurant in a sheepfold, perched not far from the Col de la Croix-Fry. A few years later, he opened the Eridan in Annecy and the Auberge de l'Eridan in Veyrier-du-Lac where he obtained 3 stars in the Michelin Guide. The establishment closed its kitchens in 2009.
Although a native of Manigod, between Marc Veyrat and Megève, it's a love story that has lasted for decades. It was therefore only natural that the starred chef opened a second inn in 1999 in a very traditional style in Megève, called La Ferme de mon Père. This exact replica of his childhood farm, which obtained three stars in the Michelin Guide in 2001, will be sold in 2006.
But Marc Veyrat still has more under his hat since this winter, twenty-three years after the opening of the three-starred inn La Ferme de mon Père, the chef is returning to Mont d'Arbois with a restaurant called Rural by Marc Veyrat, with a one hundred percent Savoyard concept. Nestled in an authentic chalet located at the foot of the famous World Cup track, the atmosphere of the restaurant is friendly at lunchtime, festive in the afternoon and refined in the evening, but always Savoyard. The chef thus wishes to create a new landmark where skiers, hikers, mountain enthusiasts and après-ski enthusiasts will meet to taste the best recipes of the Alpine heritage around a cheerful table.
To wait until the opening of his new restaurant, Marc Veyrat shares with you a Christmas recipe as gourmet as it is generous: his pumpkin soup with bacon accompanied by his apricot and Beaufort tartlet. This starter with original flavor combinations is perfect to start the festivities!
Clément Bouvier, the next generation of Savoyard cuisine
Alpine gastronomy, Clément Bouvier fell into it when he was little! Grandson of a recognized cook and a caterer, son and nephew of starred chefs: there is no doubt that mountain cuisine is, for this young 28-year-old chef, a real family affair. First trained in a mountain restaurant, Clément Bouvier went to the United States to perfect his cuisine in top restaurants. Back in France, he went through a series of experiences, notably as Jean-François Piège's sous-chef before joining the family business in 2016.
Ready to handle the pans on his own, Clément Bouvier opened his first restaurant in 2017, perched at an altitude of 2000 meters. Ursus, bear in Latin, a pretty name for this young prodigy whose resemblance to the wild animal can cross the mind, the kindness and the talent in addition. Because at the Ursus, the stars are as much in the eyes as they are embroidered on Clément's apron. A lover of the mountains and local products, the chef was rewarded in 2019 by the Michelin Guide, which awarded him a star, followed in 2020 by a green star for his commitment to sustainable gastronomy.
But the Clément Bouvier adventure does not stop there. In 2021, the chef is repeating with a second altitude restaurant, the Panoramic, located at the top of the Tignes-Val d'Isère ski slopes. The young chef quickly won a first star, making the Panoramic the highest starred restaurant in the world. The following ? Clément Bouvier is already simmering it! But in the meantime, the starred chef shares his generous recipe for crozets gratin with Reblochon and his chicken casserole. An iconic dish which is intended to be gourmet and which is sure to delight all taste buds on Christmas Day!
Aurélie Collomb-Clerc, alpine delicacies at your fingertips
Last step of the meal, and surely the most greedy, the dessert can leave an unforgettable memory. Baked or cooked, chocolate or fruity, there is something for everyone, but one thing is certain: the taste buds are always satisfied.
And that, Aurélie Collomb-Clerc has understood! Launched late into the world of pastry, the fault of some hidden trial and error along an undecided school curriculum, torn between the law and an indomitable frenzy for the kitchen, the gastronome learns alongside the best before joining the Emmanuel Renaut's brigade at Flocons de Sel***, as pastry chef.
Behind the scenes, the young chef is overflowing with creativity to offer masterpieces with a refined presentation and magnified flavors. A lover of the mountains, Aurélie Collomb-Clerc finds herself completely in the cuisine of Emmanuel Renaut, which focuses on local products. Her love of mountain plants and flowers goes perfectly with the creative cuisine of the Megève gourmet who, in 2017, promoted her to pastry chef. Marked by her Savoyard heritage, Aurélie Collomb-Clerc sublimates the great classics of pastry by subtly integrating mountain products.
Crowned best pastry chef of the year 2021, Aurélie Collomb-Clerc shares today her incredible recipe for Biscuit de Savoie, an iconic dessert of Alpine gastronomy. Gourmet and easy to make, the Biscuit de Savoie can be enjoyed on any occasion. After all, Paul Bocuse assured it himself, “gluttony is the sin of good souls”!
Be inspired by a Christmas in Megève
From the start of the winter season, Megève puts on a festive outfit. Sparkling with a thousand lights where a delicious smell of cinnamon reigns, the cobbled streets of the village become the scene of magical moments that delight young and old. Unforgettable festive evenings, exceptional musical moments, international sports competitions, between warm traditions and new creative trends, the most magical village in the Alps has everything to thrill visitors.
