B.Violier - Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville in the small town of Crissier just outside Lausanne is one of the three restaurants in Switzerland with the prestigious accolade of three Michelin stars. Established in the village’s historic mayor’s house in 1953 by the legendary Fredy Girardet and Benjamin Girardet, the restaurant has seen four generations of head chefs including Switzerland’s most prominent chef Philippe Rochat, the late Benoît Violier—whose suicide in 2016 shocked the culinary world—and now Franck Giovannini.
In a rare visit to Asia, chefs Jeremy Desbraux and Josselin Jacquet from the renowned temple of fine-dining shared their cuisine at a four-day culinary event at Banyan Tree Bintan last week.
In a rare visit to Asia, chefs Jeremy Desbraux and Josselin Jacquet from the renowned temple of fine-dining shared their cuisine at a four-day culinary event at Banyan Tree Bintan last week.
Le Duo Suisse: Chefs Josselin Jacquet (left) and Jeremy Desbraux (right)
Before joining the Crissier establishment in 2012, Desbraux trained at various Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe including Le Puits St. Jacques, L’Ermitage and Le Pont de Brent. He won the 2015 Le Taittinger Prix Culinaire International for high consistency in taste and great quality of his creations. Working hand-in-hand with him is 25-year-old pastry chef Josselin Jacquet whose youth belies his wealth of experience—he was awarded Prix au Chef Patissier by the International Academy of Gastronomy in 2017.
Pineau des Charentes Foie Gras with Exotic Fruit Chutney.
For the special degustation menu presented at The Cove in Banyan Tree Bintan, the chefs brought their sophisticated French cuisine and married it with a touch of tropical island inspiration. The restaurant’s signature pineau des charentes foie gras was accompanied by a sweet chutney of exotic fruit, while fork-tender local roasted sea bass sat in a light curry aromatic with spices. For dessert, chef Josselin presented a cloud-like soufflé finished with a tangy raspberry sauce.
Pastry chef Josselin Jacquet's light-as-air soufflé.
We have a chat with the young chefs who are making their mark at one of the world’s best restaurants and how they feel about contributing to the gastronomic scene in Bintan.
How have you been enjoying Bintan?
Jeremy: Very much! It is minus 14 degrees back home, so this is like a holiday for us.
Josselin: Our friends are very jealous, and I want to stay here. (laughs)
Jeremy: We would love to do more of these events, but we cannot do so every time. It is exceptional for us to be here because the restaurant is still open and it is difficult for anybody in the team to be away.
How have you been enjoying Bintan?
Jeremy: Very much! It is minus 14 degrees back home, so this is like a holiday for us.
Josselin: Our friends are very jealous, and I want to stay here. (laughs)
Jeremy: We would love to do more of these events, but we cannot do so every time. It is exceptional for us to be here because the restaurant is still open and it is difficult for anybody in the team to be away.
The Cove at the beautiful Banyan Tree Bintan
How has the experience been working in a kitchen so far from home?
Jeremy: Oh, we are used to it. At our restaurant in Switzerland we do outside events very regularly, like once a week. We were very impressed too by the level of the kitchen here in Banyan Tree.
How long have the two of you been with B.Violier, and was it hard when chef Violier passed away?
Josselin: We have been with B.Violier for about 6 years, I came about two months before Jeremy.
Jeremy: Yes, it was a difficult time, especially in the first six months after chef passed away. The restaurant only closed for one service, we only missed one lunch service.
Jeremy: Oh, we are used to it. At our restaurant in Switzerland we do outside events very regularly, like once a week. We were very impressed too by the level of the kitchen here in Banyan Tree.
How long have the two of you been with B.Violier, and was it hard when chef Violier passed away?
Josselin: We have been with B.Violier for about 6 years, I came about two months before Jeremy.
Jeremy: Yes, it was a difficult time, especially in the first six months after chef passed away. The restaurant only closed for one service, we only missed one lunch service.
Are you a very close-knit team?
Jeremy: Yes, it is very important to be in sync with one another. We have a very big brigade, 25 of us in the kitchen.
Josselin: We are very close, like a family.
Do you feel any pressure to maintain the Michelin stars?
Jeremy: Yea yea. We work hard to maintain the standards of the restaurant, we want to maintain the legacy of chef Benoit.
Jeremy: Yes, it is very important to be in sync with one another. We have a very big brigade, 25 of us in the kitchen.
Josselin: We are very close, like a family.
Do you feel any pressure to maintain the Michelin stars?
Jeremy: Yea yea. We work hard to maintain the standards of the restaurant, we want to maintain the legacy of chef Benoit.
