As the only Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsman of France: a prestigious French professional award:) in Auvergne and the only restaurant in Allier to receive a Michelin star, 4 toques from Gault & Millau and the Gault Millau d’Or award in 2017 for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the starred gastronomic restaurant in Vichy "Jacques Decoret" of the Maison Decoret invites its guests to enjoy a truly sensory experience, a subtle culinary journey between Vichy, the “Queen of spa towns”, and the mountains, fields and woodlands of Auvergne.
In the glass conservatory of a red-brick chalet with a green roof, Maison Decoret is a beautifully lit setting where a bold culinary score is played from Thursday to Monday. This symphony of flavours, conducted by Chef Jacques Decoret, is a sympathetic tribute to a region of character and contrasts: Auvergne.
In the heart of an area with powerful, inspiring geography, the restaurant has a triple focus. Its first is the sheer abundance of the natural surroundings: the huge Forest of Tronçais in the north (its valuable wood is used as part of the ageing process of some of the world’s best wines), the charming fields, woodland and forests of the region’s bocages, reminiscent of central Tuscany, the peaks of the Bourbonnais Mountain to the east and the volcanoes to the south. The second focus which inspires the Chef’s creations: the art of living, culinary luxury and Vichy’s historical heritage. Lastly, the link between elegant Vichy and the contrasting region of Auvergne is the purity and variety of its 109 natural springs: the restaurant’s ultimate focus.
A small island of luxury and elegance within its ancient natural surroundings, Vichy was built on life-giving land, the source of exceptional mineral water. To pay tribute to the “Queen of spa towns”, the starred gastronomic restaurant in Vichy in Auvergne Jacques Decoret decided to add to its extensive wine list (with nearly 650 vintages available) with a unique selection of fifteen or so still and sparkling mineral waters from Auvergne.
The result of years of careful thought and reflection by Martine and Jacques Decoret and their sommelier, the food, wine and water pairings offer guests a new vision, complementing the region’s culinary treasures. The taste of the still or sparkling water, its minerality, its salinity and its feel all have an influence and encourage guests to rediscover this essential link between nature and mankind.
A truly great culinarymeal would be nothing without a finely honed wine list, inspired by real vision. Jacques and Martine Decoret consequently worked with a talented sommelier to create a superb selection, making the restaurant's wine cellar one of the most interesting in the region.
It includes nearly 650 vintages from the most distinguished and remarkable vineyards in France, including Auvergne and Allier: until the 19th century, Saint-Pourçain was considered to be the most prestigious wine-growing region in France, along with Beaune! The wine list by the glass is superb, with a range of about fifty wines, from more accessible varieties to prestigious cuvées. Great and old vintages, rare finds, reasonable prices and high-quality service and advice: it’s no surprise that wine lovers and wine-tasting clubs see Maison Decoret as a genuine haven.
Because the art of nuance is a central element in the cuisine of Jacques Decoret's starred gastronomic restaurant in Auvergne, each of his dishes, whether savoury or sweet, reflects his quest for a natural, original taste and his research into combining textures, cooking techniques and flavours. A delicate, sincere and fearless culinary style which adds an ethereal dimension to the local cuisine of Auvergne.
As a winner of the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France award in 1996, Jacques Decoret is inspired by the region’s terroir, drawing on artistic sensibility, childhood memories and his insatiable need to share. Working with the best local producers, his creations are direct expressions of the soul of Auvergne.
Perfection lies in precision. Jacques Decoret’s style can also be found in the great technical sophistication of his dishes. From his personal reflection on textures and cooking methods at low temperatures to the attention paid to creating decoctions of sauces and gravies, the Chef’s culinary language is perfectly precise, focusing on each product as a whole.
Jacques Decoret is as comfortable with sweet dishes as he is with savoury: an extremely rare occurrence. His precision and innate attention to detail make him an incredible creator of light, subtle desserts, which cry out to be eaten - even when guests have already eaten their fill! His desserts are the work not of a pastry specialist but of a great chef. There is a theme, a vision and a signature which can be traced from the first amuse-bouche to the last petit four.
25 minutes from Vichy, in the Bocage Bourbonnais region, the medieval village of Charroux is considered to be one of the most beautiful in France. The traditional Moutarderie de Charroux in the centre of the village has worked over the last few years to restore its reputation for excellence. Its sweet, mild mustard, made from vinegar and white wine from Saint-Pourçain, inspires many of Jacques Decoret’s creations.
When it comes to desserts, light and airy meringues are one of the fundamental staples in French patisserie. With a combination of the textures which so inspired Le Corbusier, they can be used to assemble innovative and graphic creations without the risk of losing their original sweet taste and deliciously crunchy texture. Witness amazing pyramids created with square meringues rising up in front of you!
Although Jacques Decoret likes to play with shapes and textures, he also loves to focus on colours and flavours, of course. To break up the iconic white colour of meringue and to add a floral dimension, he uses bee pollen and roasted milk powder with caramel along with various plants which taste of honey.
With its delicious, rural charm, honey is an important element in the chef’s culinary score, as if he were reliving all his childhood mischief and plunging his finger into a pot of memories.
To be able to use all the precious seasonal produce Auvergne has to offer, Jacques Decoret and his team have developed strong links with local producers who have a genuine passion for the region’s fertile land. Jacques Decoret works with real enthusiasts, focusing on short food supply circuits and family companies.
They include Isabelle Simonet, who supplies the restaurant with exceptional Bourbonnais poultry, Hervé Laffont who fishes in ponds around Vichy to provide delicious fish (zander, pike, perch and more) and Laurence Finet and his fantastic snails. Of course, the incredible range of cheeses comes from well-known dairies known in the region: Fromagerie Nivesse in Clermont-Ferrand, Fromagerie Meunier (a delicatessen) and Laiterie de Vichy.
When it comes to fruit and vegetables, along with other partnerships with local market gardeners, Jacques and Martine Decoret have developed their own supplies with the green roof which overlooks Maison Decoret and the family’s orchards and gardens in the Bourbonnais Mountain.
Jacques Decoret’s culinary education was first forged in the rustic, everyday surroundings of his childhood in Allier. An authentic setting from which he draws inspiration and strength, transforming the memories of his simple daily life into refined and sought-after creations. With his passion for the region and his childhood memories of it, Jacques Decoret adds a truly valuable element to his culinary creations: emotion.
His culinary creations show that Maison Decoret’s playful chef maintains an appetite for culinary adventures with his insatiable curiosity and his ability to question himself. Each dish is a story told with passion, the delicious result of a conversation which combines the past and the present: a story which gives a starring role to the neglected elements of yesterday in Maison Decoret’s creations.
The starred gastronomic restaurant in Vichy in Auvergne is open every day for lunch and dinner except on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
