Jean-Luc L’Hourre, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, multi-starred chef, and culinary globetrotter, has officially taken the helm of La Table d’Élise in Monaco. For this chef shaped by tides, terroirs, and technique, the move feels like a homecoming: back to flavour, precision, and the quiet discipline of creation.
A Chance Encounter
During the “Pétanque des Toqués”, a lively gathering where chefs swap banter between lobs of boules, L’Hourre found himself chatting with the legendary Jacques Maximin. A CV sent to restaurateur Gilles Brunner, ten minutes of suspense, and a phone call later, fate had spoken. One month on, his knives are unpacked in Monaco and the stove is once again calling his name.
Born Into the Fire of a Breton Kitchen
Jean-Luc L’Hourre was born into cooking. His earliest memories are tempered in the heat of the family restaurant, the Auberge des Abers in Finistère. After culinary school in Quimper, he honed his craft in some of the most storied kitchens in France:
La Tour d’Argent, Le Taillevent, and the three-starred universe of Georges Blanc.
What followed was a glittering list of accolades:
Michelin stars earned in three different French regions (Périgord, Gard, Brittany)
And above all, the hallowed title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2000, the culinary world’s equivalent of Olympic gold.
Shaped by Islands and Open Horizons
Jean-Luc’s career spans multiple coastlines: four years in the Canary Islands managing a 500-room hotel, two years in Florida, eleven years in Corsica, and a spell at the Conrad Bora Bora by Hilton, surrounded by turquoise horizons.
Brittany and Monaco
At La Table d’Élise, L’Hourre’s philosophy is deceptively simple: respect the product, highlight the producer, and let the plate speak without artifice. But simplicity demands mastery.
A touch of Brittany will inevitably thread itself into his cooking. Among the dishes he intends to revive is a signature creation: a poivrade artichoke stuffed with Breton lobster mousse, kissed with nori, dipped in tempura batter, and served with perfumed oils, a dish originally crafted for a multi-chef dinner at the Negresco with Jacques Maximin.
It’s the kind of plate that tells a story in a single bite.
Rigour as a Virtue
He’s demanding, acknowledging that he is not easy. But in his kitchen, discipline rather than domination is generosity.
Those who want to learn will learn everything: recipes, techniques, philosophy. L’Hourre holds nothing back.
With a brigade of seven cooks, mostly Italian, he’s already shaping a new identity for the restaurant. And the fierce competition of Monaco’s star-studded culinary landscape doesn’t faze him. He’s already cooked for this clientele all over the world.
A Retirement That Lasted Barely a Breath
After stints at the Bastide Saint-Antoine under Jacques Chibois and at La Maison de Bacon, L’Hourre officially retired in February. That retirement lasted exactly one month.
He’s too active to stop. He needs to touch ingredients, to taste, to cook.
Monaco, with its constant flow of epicureans and its appetite for excellence, offers Jean-Luc a fresh playground. And he is already planning seasonal menus built around scallops, lobster, and the quiet dialogue between Breton shores and Mediterranean abundance.
When a client tells him they’ve eaten wonderfully it still gives him goosebumps. La Table d’Elise awaits you!
