Gault&Millau Chef of the Year 2027: the four nominees

On 28 September 2026, Gault&Millau revealed the four chefs in the running for its most coveted award. Two Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, a former second to Alain Senderens and a protégé of Alain Passard will compete for the title of Chef of the Year 2027. The verdict comes on 9 November.

An award for a whole career

Awarded since 1980, the Chef of the Year title honours, in the guide’s words, “a chef who shapes the culinary landscape of today and tomorrow”. It crowns a career, whereas the Grand de Demain confirms a discovery and the Jeune Talent flags the revelation of the year. The choice rests with a small committee, made up of chairman and CEO Patrick Hayoun and Marc Esquerré, director of inspections, after a year of visits and inspection reports; the guide stresses that the score alone is not enough.

Jérôme Banctel, 18.5/20 at Le Gabriel

Born in Rennes in 1971, Jérôme Banctel trained with André Daguin, Michel Kéréver, Christian Constant and Bernard Pacaud at L’Ambroisie, before working as Alain Senderens’ second at Lucas Carton until 2013. Since 2015 he has run the kitchens of La Réserve Paris, where Le Gabriel holds 4 toques and 18.5/20, the highest score of the four nominees; La Pagode de Cos has 2 toques there. His seasonal cooking relies on lime cooking and sauces without butter or cream. Already nominated in 2024, he will also create the gala dinner.

Philippe Mille and Arbane’s seven grapes

The grandson of farmers from the Sarthe, Philippe Mille spent seven years with Yannick Alléno and earned the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2011. After fifteen years at Les Crayères in Reims, he opened Arbane in spring 2024 in a former bank dating from 1874, whose vaults now hold the wine cellar. Rated 4 toques and 17/20, the restaurant explores the seven Champagne grape varieties, cooking over vine cuttings and seafood. To stay in Champagne, see our ranking of the world’s most expensive champagnes.

Julien Roucheteau, the Mediterranean in 4 toques

A butcher’s son, apprenticed at the Maison de l’Aubrac and top of his year at Ferrandi, Julien Roucheteau worked at Le Cinq before joining Michel Troisgros at the Lancaster, where he became head chef in 2012. A Meilleur Ouvrier de France, he has run the restaurants of La Réserve de Beaulieu since 2019. Le Restaurant des Rois holds 4 toques and 17/20, for Mediterranean cooking built on light and acidity; set menus range from 195 to 295 euros according to the guide’s listing.

David Toutain, the kitchen garden on Rue Surcouf

Born in 1981 in the Orne and raised on the family farm, David Toutain learned from Marc Veyrat, Alain Passard at L’Arpège, Bernard Pacaud and Andoni Luis Aduriz at Mugaritz. After Agapé Substance in 2011, he opened his restaurant on Rue Surcouf in Paris at the end of 2013, rated 4 toques and 17/20 for cooking guided by nature and garden herbs. Since 2022 he has also created the menu at Feuille in Hong Kong. For more addresses in the capital, see our selection of the best fine dining restaurants in Paris.

Who will succeed César Troisgros on 9 November?

The winner will be announced on Monday 9 November 2026 at the Carrousel du Louvre, in front of around 1,600 guests, 600 of them at the dinner, on the theme “Food is Art”. The 28 nominees for the 2027 national awards will learn their fate there, with three new trophies (Illustrator of the Year, Restaurant Designer of the Year, Champagne Design) and a “No-Low” award for sommeliers. The 2026 title went to César Troisgros, chef of Le Bois sans feuilles in Ouches, after his grandfather Pierre (1987) and his father Michel (2003).

Information checked on 31 October 2026. Sources: Gault&Millau: Chef of the Year nominees, the 2026 gala, the 2026 winner, the award criteria.