Legacy in Action

{Hi everyone.} {We're very deeply honored to be with you today.} {And we're going to tell you the story of a little 15-year-old kid} {who became a culinary rock star.} {And a 15-year-old kid who,} {50 years after he started and 20 years after he passed away,} {is still more alive than ever.} {So this is the story of our father,} {Bernard Loiseau,} {who had but one dream in his life} {and one culinary vision.} {He started in 1975 at La Côte d'Or in the middle of Burgundy,} {in the middle of nowhere,} called Saulieu, {in the Morvan.} {And he had one vision and he never ceased to look at his dream} {since he started.} {Everything was against him when he got to Saulieu.} {No stars anymore.} {No. Because the property was one of the very first three} {Michelin stars of history of the Guide Michelin in the 30s,} {called La Côte d'Or from Alexandre Dumaine.} And {no stars.} {The highway was getting built.} {The shutters were falling down from the windows.} {He had to build everything again.} {But he kept his dream alive.} {He fought for it.} {And in 1977, he got his first star.} {81st, his second star.} {And then 1991,} {he got his third star.} {And his dream was triggered when he was 15 years old,} {when he was just an apprentice at the Troisgros.} {And they had just gotten their third star.} {And so they were popping up all the champagne and stuff.} {And the little kid said, this is what I want.} {I'm going to get it.} {And it took him years and years,} {lots of sacrifices,} {but he built it.} And {he had tremendous values.} {And we're going to talk about it with Blanche afterwards.} {He said,} {if I did this job,} {if I became a chef,} {it's for two reasons.} {The first is because I love people and I want to please them.} {And the second one is I love to eat.} {But that's very important.} {But that's very important to tell you because} {it's not an egotistic movement within him.} {He was just a people here for the people.} {He was a humanist before} {anything else.} {This is our family.} {Mom always says,} {can you imagine that among the three kids,} {one of them was going to become a chef?} {This is a miracle.} Voilà. And {so this dream consumed him completely.} {It was his only one} {reason of being alive to get the third star.} {And us as a family,} {we lived this.} {So we were the second goal in his life,} {the kids.} {But the number one was getting his star and La Côte d'Or.} {His artwork was the number one and the only thing,} {I think.} {The only thing we would talk at home,} {La Côte d'Or.} But {so he became a culinary icon, a huge rock star.} {All the major chefs} {from now} {were trained by him.} {He was in France.} {He was not the most famous chefs in France.} {He was the number one celebrity in France} {with sports,} {sportsman politics.} {He was the most beloved person in France.} {But what we always forget} {is his culinary vision.} {I'm going to let the chef talk to you about it.} {So I think my dad's main idea was} {shaped by listening to his guests.} {And I think we're doing a work of hospitality} {mainly and welcoming and feeding people.} {And at the time in the 70s,} {he would have people coming like,} oh, {I don't want to eat a big menu.} {It's going to be super heavy.} And {so he was like,} {people can't come to the restaurant being} {scared of what they're going to eat.} {So he started really going to the purity of taste.} {So taking away butter,} {taking away cream,} {taking away sugar in the dessert} {in the 70s in France.} {So people were like, he's mad.} {The newspaper were quoting him like a} {water cuisine because there was like no,} {nothing fun.} {It was insanely good.} {And they discovered that later.} {And people would go there.} {And he's made everything} {in our life,} {in our hospitality is shaped by our guests,} {listening to them.} {And we'll see about it in all of the parts of our lives.} {And so it's about focusing on produce.} {So first we started with sauce.} {So sauce,} {how we see now,} {the meat and water and then reduction.} {And in order to give texture,} {he would make,} {he had like a palette of vegetable purees,} very, {very fine,} {in order to thicken the sauce and season them as he wanted it.} {So this was maybe one of the biggest} {revolution in French cuisine at the time.} {Instead of the roux.} {Instead of the roux.} {No flour, no butter.} {Nothing heavy.} {And you've rediscovered produce.} {It wasn't hidden by cream.} {It wasn't hidden by butter.} {It wasn't hidden by anything.} {And so you see on the left, the frog's legs.} {It's one of his} {most famous dish.} {And it's all,} {he had this idea of taking like everyday food.} {Like frog's legs is just one of our very popular countryside.} {And so you see on the right,} {the fish, a lot of butter,} {a lot of garlic.} {And here you have the garlic that} {was cooked in eight different waters} {to make a perfect puree with nothing else.} {No butter, no cream.} {Just pure garlic without the strong flavor.} {And make it how to do everyday cooking} {through three michelin stars.} {I think that was one of his ideas.} {And rediscover really the purity,} {the raw flavors.} {And at the time he always} {really loved his produce.} {And he always loved his producers.} {Like everybody thinks it's from Burgundy.} {My dad's not actually from Burgundy.} {But he was so in love with the countryside} {with the producers of the produce,} {the products.} {He would take them on any TV show,} {any newspaper,} {any radio.} {And trying to promote it.} {And it's still very alive now.} {Now we're talking about localism and how to stay local.} {But I mean for us it's very} {part of our DNA.} {Because it was already that in the 70s. He used to say the star is not the chef,} {it's the product.} {It's the product.} Yeah. {And I can't be Bernard Loiseau if I don't have a good carrot.} {I like good carrots.} {And so here is a little overview of our place.} {And then that's the trio Bernard Loiseau.} {So all the major inventions that Blanche just talked about} {are now talked in school.} {Like they were one of the milestones that moved} {French cuisine into what we know now.} {La nouvelle cuisine.} {It was called} {La nouvelle cuisine in the} {70s and 80s. And dad was one of the most} {prominent pusher in the movement.} {Yeah. And then when he was at the top of the world in 2003,} {he committed suicide.} {He was at the top of the world in 2003,} {he was at the top of the world in 2003. He was at his utmost.} {Everything was fantastic.} {The property was} {more beautiful than ever.} {He was most famous than ever.} {And we were developing.} {And then he decided to go.} {Imagine the genius culinary artist.} {Charismatic leader.} {The most beloved man in France.} {The most beloved man in France.} {Culinary icon.} {All of a sudden, just like this, gone.} {Everything was to be shut down, right?} {And so one woman left up her little finger.} {And the same night, she went to the sous chef.} {She went to the restaurant manager.} {The same day, she was like, okay,} {I'm going on.} {Are you coming with me?} {And they said, yeah, let's go.} {And now we're 22 years later.} {And our mom} {had to make a lot of sacrifices in order to keep the company afloat.} {One year after, half of the staff was gone.} {Everybody in France was thinking,} {oh, it's going to close down in six months.} {And I think how she was really smart and how she understood it.} {It wasn't going to be a museum.} {It wasn't going to be someplace fixed.} {It had to live on.} {Our dad was so innovative.} {She had to keep going, keep going and moving on.} {And then people started coming back,} {starting to realize,} yeah, {we're still here.} {We never lost the third Michelin star,} {even if our dad passed.} {It was still there.} {And 2007, she started expanding.} {We opened a new restaurant in Bone.} {That was one Michelin star.} {Then 2013,} {Dijon, also one Michelin star.} {2017, she built a beautiful spa in our hotel.} {It's two times best spa in Europe.} And, yeah, {so it was,} {of course,} {a lot of sacrifices,} {I think,} {especially for the family.} {And it's shaping also how we are today} {and learning from them.} {And during...} {Was she...} Yeah. Yeah. {Go, mom.} Well, {if we're talking to you today,} {it's because of her.} {Thanks to her.} {Yeah. Thanks to her.} {Because she hold on the fort for 20 years on.} {Passion, resilience,} {a love for hospitality and her guests.} {And always moving on and trying to} {bring you the best experience we can.} {And so after COVID happened,} {you were already working at the group.} {Yep. I was traveling around, working, learning.} {And 2021, we decided,} okay. {Well, COVID hit.} {COVID hit.} {COVID hit.} {And in France,} {we had to close overall nine months.} Yeah. {So imagine...} {This is our house.} {I lived just above the reception.} {I learned how to walk there.} {If we wanted to see the client,} {our parents,} {we had to go to the hotel,} restaurant. {So this was our home.} {All of a sudden, shut down nine months.} {Like, the leaves were coming in.} {It was insane.} {And we were like,} okay, {isn't this maybe,} like, {time to come home and do something?} {Because it can just stop just like this?} {And this is where we talked to mom and said,} well, mom, {we're gonna...} {We want to come back and we want to help you more.} {And we want to help you restart the machine.} And, well, {we have a lot to say also in how we want to grow the property.} {And she said,} finally. Yeah. {But there was...} {Transmitting a company...} Well, {in our guts,} {we knew both Blanche and I that we wanted to come back.} {But you never have the time frame.} {You never know when is a good time.} And {it's hard also to...} {And very emotional, especially in our case,} {like to grasp the subject and,} {you know,} {like put it on the table and say,} well, mom, {thanks for everything.} {But now this is our time.} {So... But these subjects have to be talked about.} {And they have to be anticipated a lot if you don't want to} {have big drama after that.} {And the...} {When we were very lucky to both Blanche and I because none of} {our parents pushed us to do and to carry over their business.} {They founded...} {They were the founders.} But {they never,} {you know,} {like say,} oh, {you know,} {I'm doing all this for you.} {This is all for you.} {You better work it out.} {No. No. Not a second.} {They wanted us to be happy and to choose whatever we felt like it.} {So, for instance, we have a brother.} {Our brother didn't decide to join the business.} {And we're very happy for him if that's what he wants.} But {that's also something very important.} {Like don't burden the next generation with what you have built.} {Just let them come.} {And then} {now we do it our way.} {And I think we do it great.} {But what's really insane in our case is that} {Bernard Loiseau is the name of the hotel.} {It's the name of the place.} {It's the name of the company.} {It's the name of the brand.} {It's so embodied that it was} {absolutely not supposed to continue even 50 years after.} {And that's a lot of...} {My mom was thinking a lot about that.} {It's like, it's not possible.} {It's like,} {I mean,} {if Mozart was to die,} {who's going to carry over?} {Well, nobody.} {And so on.} {And she} {understood something,} {two things.} {She understood first} {that this was a question of patrimoine,} patrimony, {you know,} legacy. That {the Bernard Loiseau story was way more than a family story.} {Like it was a culinary French story.} {And so we would like belong to the French and} {belong to this culinary world more than our family.} {And second, she understood that} {all the things that died,} {that fought for all the values that he established} {were timeless.} Timeless. {It was excellence, authenticity,} authenticity, {authenticity in taste,} authenticity {in being, just be normal with your clients,} {authenticity in the surroundings,} and {always thinking ahead.} {And that's exactly what he did.} {So this is the group today.} {Got three minutes left.} {Yeah, okay.} {So this is us now.} Yeah. {So Burgundy,} {mostly in Burgundy.} {Blanche just opened in Tokyo for us,} {Loiseau de France last year.} {And it's six restaurants,} {two hotels,} {a group of 130 people.} {Where are you?} {Where are you?} {Where are you?} {A little you already talked about.} Yeah. {Because Renée is with the whip just behind,} {you know.} {Checking the sign.} No, {I think one of the big things that we also wanted to talk about is} {how it is a family business.} How {our dad's obsession was through Michelin star ahead of anything else.} {And how it's really not our obsession at all anymore.} {Of course it's part of our life.} {Of course it's part of French gastronomy.} {And I think we're also trying to found our balance.} {And how we want to find our families. And how we want to find our families.} {And how we want to have a more balanced life.} {And how we want to have a more balanced life. And how we understand also our employees.} {And how of course it's a tragedy that hit our family.} {And sometimes,} {especially for me,} {it's hard to share him with the world.} {Because he's so famous.} {And sometimes talk about it in front of a lot of people is weird.} {But it's part of our story.} {But it's part of our story.} {Our life.} {It makes us who we are today.} {And it makes us just want to move forward.} {And still hear our guests.} {Think about our clients.} {Our younger teams.} {And see how we can do better for them.} {I think.} {And they gave us a beautiful foundation.} {We received this amazing gift.} {And we just have to keep building.} {I think it's very interesting.} {What makes the success of us carrying out.} {Is that} {we know what that fought for.} We {write them down.} {I nourish the team with the non-negotiable.} {What's our bedrock?} {What is our foundation?} {And this is non-negotiable.} {And then all the rest we can adapt.} {And we can do it our way.} {Because when we both understood that.} {Now the company.} {And the art.} {All his art.} {And all the things that he built.} {Is within our guts.} {And within who we are.} {Then we can do.} {And we can go very far.} Yeah. {Yeah. So yeah.} {And in doing that.} {So basically what when I. Because I'm the head of the company now.} {She's my CEO.} {Which is a tough thing.} {But. So yeah.} {When I was given the keys.} {Of the company.} {I spent two weeks.} {I spent two weeks.} Watching. Like. {We're losing our English.} {Rows and rows and rows.} {And hours and hours.} {And hours.} {Of all my dad's.} Interviews. Interventions. Whenever. {The. Yeah.} {Yeah. Yeah. VHS. The old VHS. And. But. For two.} {Whole weeks.} {I did this.} {I completely.} {Emerged myself.} {In. All his.} {All the things.} {He ever said.} Radio. {Talk shows.} Whatever. {Throughout his.} {All his life.} {And when.} {I. I completely.} Like. {Was showered.} {With it.} {And. I. Noted.} {The non-negotiable.} {And. That.} {Let me.} Really. Express. {What our values.} {Our key values.} {Our key foundations.} Were. Were. Where. {We're going.} {What he wanted to do.} {And then.} {With this.} {I like really.} {Wrote a document.} {And with this.} {I nourished my team.} {Every single day.} {Because they're brand new.} {They never met.} {Bernard Loiseau.} {Of course not.} {And. This is the bedrock.} {The foundation.} {And this is.} {What we're going to carry out.} {For the long.} {And being a family.} {Too. Puts us.} Like. {We're not in the same time frame.} {Or. Of people.} {Who have investors.} {Or financial people.} {Behind them.} {We're on the long term.} {And when my dad built his rooms.} {And. And all the.} {The dining rooms.} {He was thinking.} {For the next generation.} {The next generation.} {So he took the very best oak.} {Everything. And it's been 50 years.} {And it can go for 50 years more.} {We're talking way too much.} {Thank you.} {Thank you.} {Thank you.} {Thank you.} {So you got it.} {Since 50 years.} {And for 50 more to go.} Amazing. {Thank you.} {Thank you. Thank you.}