He says so himself, and the chef at the Hôtel de l'Image is bouncing with delight as he welcomes us under a flowering tree with the Alpilles hills behind.
It's a charming moment, with the 42-year-old chef expressing his joy alternately in tones of loud enthusiasm and a confidential almost-whisper. Christophe Chiavola has his fill of happiness since he arrived in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, but especially since earlier this year, when he felt he was becoming a new person, serene at last. His team is now close-knit and united in mutual trust and although everyone still jumps to it with a "Oui chef!" he's always open to their suggestions. While he defines his cuisine as uncomplicated and "graphic", it is also graceful, colourful and feminine. He uses herbs for visual effect as well as taste. Each flavour stands out clearly before they merge in well-judged harmony. What Christophe loves best is seafood, for it unequalled subtlety. He attributes that to his childhood in Perpignan, near the sea in the eastern Pyrenees. He loves the escarpments of the Alpilles, which perhaps remind him of those other hills. And finally he just loves cooking. Cooking with local Provençal produce sourced no more than 200km from his kitchen.
Les Terrasses de l'Image
Tél. 04 90 92 51 50
Par Valérie Rouger
Photo : Géraldine Martens
Côteweb 2021, création de site Internet sur Nice