Arnaud Lallement: a story of terroir and family
This article immerses you in the world of Arnaud Lallement, a three-star chef, through a captivating interview conducted during the Michelin Guide ceremony, as part of the "Par le Menu" series. In this series, renowned chefs share moments of relaxation and reflection on camera around their culinary passion. Alongside his friend Arnaud Donckèle, Lallement reveals himself with sincerity, offering a privileged insight into his unique gastronomic approach.
Arnaud Lallement , a three-star chef, embodies a culinary vision rooted in excellence and tradition. With The Champagne Plate , his restaurant located in Tinqueux, near Reims, the one nicknamed Le Little King of Champagne has been able to impose his unique style by combining modernity and respect for products. We (re)discover this passionate chef alongside his sidekick the Chef Arnaud Donckèle in the sixth episode of the series “Par le Menu” to discover on Instagram.
A journey marked by family tradition
The story of Arnaud Lallement is closely linked to that of his family. His parents, Jean-Pierre and Colette Lallement founded Assiette Champenoise in 1975.
From a young age, Arnaud was immersed in the aromas of cooking and the rigor of the profession. After perfecting his skills with prestigious chefs, including Roger Vergé and Michel Guérard , he returned in 1997 to join the family establishment.
In 2001, he won his first Michelin star, before obtaining the second in 2005, and finally the supreme consecration with a third star in 2014.
This quest for stars was marked by mutual support between starred chefs. During a discussion with Arnaud Donckèle, chef of Plénitude in Paris, Lallement shared a touching memory: "We became closer thanks to the Michelin Guide . In 2013, I got my third star, then Arnaud the following year. Since then, we have maintained a beautiful friendship, nourished by our shared passion for sauces.
Sauces, passion at the service of technique
For Lallement, sauces are the very essence of emotion in a dish. Dipping sauce is not just a gesture of indulgence, it is a way of fully appreciating a recipe. "You absolutely have to dip, with bread, a spoon, or even with your fingers. It is a gesture that is an integral part of the gastronomic experience," he emphasizes.
Sauces are also a common point between Lallement and Donckèle. The latter does not hesitate to emphasize the perfection of sauces de Lallement: "At every meal at Arnaud's, I find an intense emotion. There are few chefs who manage to transport us from the beginning to the end of a meal, and that's what he does with his sauces."
Iconic dishes full of memories
Arnaud Lallement draws his inspiration from his memories as well as from local products. One of his signature dishes, langoustine, is a tribute to his father.
This dish, combining the sweetness of langoustine with touches of caviar, is deeply rooted in family history. “With my father’s story, this dish takes on an incredible dimension,” he confides.
In addition to the dishes that come from his heritage, Lallement stands out for his audacity in revisiting classics and integrating personal touches.
Arnaud Donckèle, evoking one of his culinary memories at Lallement , remembers a little treat that particularly left a mark on him: a tray filled with a vanilla crème brûlée of rare intensity. “For me, it’s the most wonderful treat I know,” he confides, moved by this memory.
L'Assiette Champenoise: an exceptional place
Lallement's restaurant, l'Assiette Champenoise, is a temple of gastronomy where excellence is the order of the day. Located near Reims, in a green setting, the establishment offers its guests a unique culinary experience The dining room, elegant and modern, perfectly reflects the chef's cuisine: sober, clean and authentic.
The dishes served are like their creator: generous and full of passion . Among the must-haves, we find the Marne trout, the blue lobster or the roast pigeon, accompanied by sauces of great subtlety. Lallement has the art of sublimating local products while revisiting them with audacity and creativity.
A friendship and mutual admiration between chefs
Lallement is recognized and admired by his peers for his integrity and his honest approach to cooking . This friendship with Arnaud Donckèle, strengthened by their shared career within the Michelin Guide, is an example of this fraternity that unites the great names of French gastronomy. They share not only exceptional moments at the table, but also anecdotes that bring a smile to their faces.
Donckel recalls an unusual cooking memory: "I had to cook in the open sea, on a very large boat. It was a complicated experience, especially since I was seasick." To which Lallement humorously replies that he, for his part, had to prepare a gala meal in a photo studio without a kitchen, another significant experience in his career.
Love of local products and “real food”
Arnaud Lallement passionately defends a culinary philosophy centered on the concept of "eat real" . For him, this idea is inseparable from respect for products, their authenticity and their seasonality. Thus, he makes a point of honor to enhance the ingredients without distorting them , always seeking to express their pure taste and origin.
To translate this vision into his dishes, Chef Lallement honors local producers and promotes quality ingredients, mainly from the Champagne-Ardenne region where he is based.
Finally, his passion for local produce shines through in his food and wine pairings. At Assiette Champenoise, champagne is in the spotlight and enhances the chef's creations. "To finish a meal, you necessarily drink champagne," says Lallement, proud of his roots.
Would you like to discover or introduce others to the world of Arnaud Lallement?
THE Champagne Plate restaurant , 3 stars in the MICHELIN Guide, invites you to a unique taste journey in Tinqueux (Reims) with Tiptoque restaurant gift cards. Treat your loved ones with the Goût lunch menu, the Saveur menu or the Emotion menu.