The news was officially announced on Monday.

But it's been some time since the starred chef Olivier Nasti, of the Chambard restaurant in Kaysersberg in Alsace, may have sensed the happy news coming.

That of being crowned Chef of the Year by the Gault et Millau guide.

"The inspectors have come to eat several large meals over the past two years, and I think that one this year, which was very, very, very well rated, made them make the decision," said Olivier Nasti.

A new consecration for this leader of Alsatian gastronomy, already best worker in France in 2017 and, at 55, covered with prizes: 19 of the most prestigious since 2020, including two stars in the Michelin Guide, as well as a 19/ 20 and five toques at Gault et Millau.

An excellence that often opens the doors to him, even if he does not want "to do more", of jury or intervening in gastronomic programs like

Top Chef

on M6.

Show in which he will reappear next season.

The day after this new triumph, therefore, the chef confided to

20 Minutes

his feelings about this new dazzling reward.

Will this price change anything for your Chambard restaurant?

Inevitably there are some customers who will come to rediscover our house, who will take the step of coming to see us.

But I hope that there is one thing that will be improved thanks to this, it is to further strengthen our team, to also make people want to apply to us, that even more talents join us, even if I I'm lucky at this level.

We have a big team of nearly 100 people.

What enabled your kitchen to obtain this title?

It's a cuisine that is sincere, that over the years has focused on the product, on the quality of the cooking, the regularity.

It is a whole.

These are teams that I have been able to build around me, very competent, motivated, and a house, a family, my children that I have by my side.

It's the reward for teamwork.

You are becoming the locomotive of gastronomy in Alsace, recognized as such in the profession, what does that mean to you?

It's a consequence of the work I've done, of the team, but I'm rather happy to be part of this driving force, to defend the terroir and to have, somewhere, become an ambassador for Alsace on France.

Yes, I'm very happy about it.

A reward also for the work done during confinement, for your resilience, who would have participated in awarding you this prize?

The motivation, the work, that's for sure.

If you ask what defines me the most I will say perseverance.

What we did during confinement brought us a lot, brought a lot of light to my house.

People got much closer and


looked more at what we were doing.

The Gault et Millau often rewards a modern kitchen: is this your case?

It's a cuisine that is all about creativity, but above all I think that Gault et Millau is a discoverer and follows talent.

And I think that I am part, for them, of the talents.

But I think what made the difference this year was my work on game such as venison tartare with caviar, rack of venison with cranberries... The creativity, the delicacy that I brought into the world of game.

By having the Gault and Millau, can it complicate the task of obtaining a third star in the Michelin Guide, which has been discussed on several occasions?

So complicate the task, I don't know, I don't think so at all and I hope not in any case (laughs).

If that were to be the case, it wouldn't be right.

But I do not believe it.

I have no fear on that.

If it should come, it will come.

That's how I see it (laughs again).

But it will come!


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Olivier Nasti crowned chef of the year by the Gault et Millau guide

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