Equipe du restaurant Vincent Favre-Félix

Inspiration

Vincent Favre-Félix, culinary creativity is in his roots

Feb. 2025

4 min.

The “Saga of Michelin-Starred Restaurants Around Lake Annecy” continues with chef Vincent Favre-Félix, with one Michelin star since 2021.

Vincent Favre-Félix is one of those extremely confident people who speak their mind and refuse to compromise. Honest and driven, unpredictable yet warm and friendly, he infuses the same audacious boldness into his cooking. Time to explore this unique style of cuisine emulsified with all the essentials.

Sincere from the very beginning

A genuine local boy, Vincent Favre-Félix was born and raised in Annecy. His taste for cooking comes from growing up in the kitchen of the family restaurant, Chalet La Pricaz, located at Col de la Forclaz Pass.

From these early years, he learned to embrace simplicity, hospitality, and kindness as his guiding lights. “At my parents’ place, people entered through the kitchen and felt immediately right at home.” And that says a lot. When it comes to the overrated unwritten rules of the more pretentious side of high-end cuisine, Vincent Favre-Félix favors the authenticity of bare tables and the sincerity of the moment.

His restaurant, Cour de l’Abbaye, where he has worked since 2019, reflects his personality and is in tune with culinary delight and sharing, including his choice of décor and materials, as natural as possible, with tables set with Opinel knives and tree bark.

Chef Vincent Favre-Félix

Genuine to the core, Vincent Favre-Félix considers himself more of an innkeeper. A true mountain-sports enthusiast, he originally wanted to be a ski instructor and hiking guide, spending winters on the slopes and summers making hay and combing the hillsides with his father, who was a logger, lumberjack, and a restaurant owner. “I know every inch of the surrounding area; I lived and breathed it as a kid.”

After earning a vocational degree in cooking through the apprenticeship training program in Groisy, Vincent cut his teeth from one restaurant to another, learning as much as possible from the chefs he worked with. During a short break, he gave in to his other passion, rugby, and worked during this period as a chocolate maker and confectioner, before returning to his place of birth. From these many encounters, he kept several chefs in his mind and heart. Among the most well-known, he tips his hat to Sophie Bise’s sense of humanity as well as Marc Veyrat’s love for the region and generosity in sharing knowledge. A deep connection to his roots, something Vincent shares with the man in the black hat, the latter whose guidance and advice still resonates with him today: cook simple dishes with extreme precision. “While cooking with goatsbeard, dandelion, and celery may not seem as glorious as other plants, making gourmet dishes with these ingredients is much harder than with scallops.” Scoring points in this case, and making fine, gourmet dishes with thistles, is indeed a challenge.

Audacity, in both life and the kitchen

Vincent Favre-Félix settled into the Cour de l’Abbaye in Annecy-le-Vieux in 2019, and earned his first Michelin star in 2021. A childhood dream come true.

And yet, this competitor at heart admits his desire to aim even higher, “welcome to my competitive side,” and why not hope for a second star?

For this, he plans to stay true to himself, to continue doing things his way, and always with the same level of passion and enthusiasm. While his menu changes roughly every two months with the seasons and produce available, a few staples remain. Starting with the appetizer that the chef himself prepares in front of his guests: “Beaufort cheese, egg, coffee,” a throwback to the typical breakfast he ate as a kid. A madeleine filled with emotion, both a comforting and surprising childhood pleasure, with sweet yet slightly tangy Beaufort cream, the crisp bitterness of coffee crumble, and the egg’s enveloping presence.

Another must: his signature dish made with candied hay-smoked arctic char served with a sorbet and arctic char cold cuts – “The Rolls Royce of dishes.” Honoring every aspect of this iconic alpine lake fish, the dish showcases its full potential.

As the final link in the value chain, the cook brings the dish to light, but the main ingredient must be of the highest quality.

This is why Vincent carefully selects the growers and partners he works with, those who share his philosophy. “While our fish often come from farms, this is not negative. We need to be honest and transparent. Not many fish remain in the area’s lakes, and the farms we work with follow strict guidelines: water quality, a specific number of fish per basin, and humane harvesting techniques.” Just like Bresse chickens, known worldwide for their high quality, Vincent chooses farmers who respect and care for the fish they raise.

Time to eat

Essential, audacious, or immersive, every set meal on the menu offers a unique culinary experience. In both the dining room and on your plate, nothing is left to chance; every element and ingredient tells a story, one about a chef for whom humanity and community matter. “My staff should find meaning in what they do, and always enjoy the gift of giving.”

A somewhat tough experience recently, due to the failure of the concept developed for the Nouvelles Galeries Mall, but one that sparked several new ideas. Some are already in motion, like the “four-hands” dinner with several chef friends, as well as oenology workshops. Others are still taking shape. Before crossing the Atlantic to follow this chef on his many adventures, now is the time to take full advantage of his current address, which embodies the rebellious spirit of its captain. Enjoy the full gamut of emotions his fine cuisine provokes, and strap in your taste buds.