As a child, Christophe Scheller saw himself as a pilot though, with time, he began to feel he would like to be a chef, possibly recalling memories of his grandmother’s vegetable garden. “She would poach delicious white asparagus from the sands of Sologne, picked that same morning, and served luke-warm with fresh cream seasoned with Orléans vinegar.” His love for the ingredient is certainly rooted in these souvenirs, though also, of course, in his training alongside chefs with a passion for nature, such as Christophe Pelé at Le Royal Monceau in Paris, where he started out. “We would go looking for vegetables in the morning from Joël Thiébault (market gardener of star-rated Parisian chefs, Editor’s Note) and at lunchtime, they formed part of the dish,” he says with a smile.

It was here that he met Thomas Boullault, whom he would second a few years later and with whom he won a star in the Michelin Guide. From this chef, he borrowed a taste for juices and sauces. Next, it was with Jean-François Rouquette at Park Hyatt Paris – Vendôme that he would develop cuisine inspired by the terroir, nature, and the seasons. “My cuisine celebrates the authenticity of ingredients in their simplest form.” This philosophy permeates dishes on the menu at La Rotonde, where the Executive Chef has been at the helm since 2024. Guests discover his tangy mushroom Tart, chestnuts with seasoning and hazelnuts, Veal Chop cooked on the bone, Calico artichoke and mild Raifort cream spiked with braising juice. When asked what should be tasted at least once in a lifetime, he answers with no hesitation: “Freshly picked strawberries”. Love for the product again, and always.