Jean-Paul BERTRAND
The Bertrand brothers have just celebrated the 35th anniversary of their beautiful 3-toque inn, Les Cèdres, near Romans-sur-Isère.
Third generation restaurateurs, Jean-Paul Bertrand and his brother Jacques grew up in a kitchen. Although encouraged by their parents not to choose the same profession, the two brothers both went into the restaurant business. For Jean-Paul, it was room service.
The young man made his debut in Valence with Jacques Pic, "a memorable character". Two years later, he joined Gravetye Manor, a Relais & Châteaux in England. He stayed there for a year and a half as demi-chef de rang, learning English, "and partying a lot", he laughs. In 1986, he returned to France, to the Oustau de Baumanière, in Les Baux-de-Provence, under Raymond Thuillier. "An extraordinary time.
After a few months at Maxim's in Paris, Jean-Paul Bertrand joined La Palme d'Or restaurant at the Hôtel Martinez in Cannes as a chef de rang. A year later, he returned to northern France, this time to Reims, to become head waiter at Domaine Les Crayères.
In 1988, while having lunch in Granges-les-Beaumont (Drôme) with his mother, Jean-Paul learned that the restaurant was for sale. He decided to buy it with his brother. Since then, Jean-Paul, Jacques and their wife have never stopped working at Les Cèdres. In 2023, they will be celebrating the restaurant's 35th anniversary!
I.B.
