Chalet Fourmiliere regulars will be delighted to hear that our wonderful chef Benjamin Aubert will return to our team for Winter 23/24. Formerly of Le Mas Bottero in Provence, Ben’s dishes received rave reviews last winter and he’s a real pleasure to work with too! He we discover how Ben spends the off-season and what he’s got planned for you this winter.
Hi Ben, how are you spending your autumn?
“I’ve been traveling through south west of France and the Pyrénées with my van. I loved it. I’m so glad to be in a country with so many amazing places! Then now it’s a bit too chilly to be in the van, so I back in my apartment in Grenoble. I’m giving a few classes, teaching people how to create exciting and season dishes at home. My next theme is a fabulous Christmas dinner!”
All of our guests loved your food last winter. What new flavours or influences might we see on your menu this winter?
“I want to include more pastry in my cooking, to add textures. My summer trip to the south west of France has inspired my work, with some amazing sheep cheese features and Espelette pepper. I’m excited to introduce these dishes to the Chalet Fourmiliere table this winter.”
You’ve worked in Michelin-starred kitchens, how has this experience benefited your role at Chalet Fourmiliere?
“It’s everything I know about my job! Being the best you can be, no matter what happens, maintaining high standards throughout. Thinking about the guests first and being rigorous on the little things, which makes a big difference.”
Our guests always rave about your food, they love it! How does it feel when you hear their feedback?
“It feels great of course! But it’s also great to confirm each day that I’ve made the right choices with the dishes and that I am meeting the expectations of our guests.”
Our guests can personalise their menu to suit their tastes. How does this work? Do you contact them directly?
“Before our guests arrive we ask them for any allergies, dietary requirements or anything that they specifically don’t like to eat. With this information I built a bespoke menu for their group. Also if a guest likes to have any specific requests that I can incorporate into their menu, I love to hear these. That detail can even make my work easier!”
Do you have any surprises in store for this winter?
“I think the savoury part of my work will evolve a lot this winter. I’ve been developing my skills and I’m now very comfortable in the Chalet Forumiliere kitchen to experiment in different ways.”
How do you spend your time when you’re not in the Chalet Fourmiliere kitchen?
“I love to be outside! I’ve been skiing my whole life as I was lucky to be born in the Alps. I go mushroom hunting, hiking, cycling… I love sport as a fan too! I’ll watch any kind of sport, but I’m always behind the French teams of course!”
What’s your ultimate career objective? Your own restaurant perhaps?
“Indeed! It’s been my goal since I’ve started working in kitchens 10 years ago! Hope to see that coming soon 😉 ”
