For as long as she can remember, Magali Sulpice has compared a restaurant dining room to a theatre—with a stage and hidden backstage workings. It’s behind that curtain that much of the performance unfolds, and it’s there that she plays her role as conductor of the orchestra, embodying the invisible but essential part of the Auberge du Père Bise experience. It’s a complementarity that defines the strength of the partnership between Magali and Jean Sulpice, and shapes the unique identity of their house on the shores of Lake Annecy.
From Wine to Hospitality
Originally from Rennes, Magali Sulpice entered hospitality school with the dream of becoming a sommelier, drawn by the world of wine and how it allows winemakers to express the identity of a terroir and a grape variety.
After graduating, she left her native Brittany to discover the vineyards of Savoie. She applied for a position with Marc Veyrat, where she honed her skills under the guidance of Bruno Bozzer, the restaurant’s renowned sommelier at the time. There, she learned to craft unexpected food and wine pairings built around the creative plant-based cuisine of the chef in the black hat. She also discovered the high standards of an international clientele at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant—and met a young Savoyard chef named Jean Sulpice.
In their early twenties, the couple moved to the highest resort in the Alps, Val Thorens, for what was supposed to be a single season—and stayed for fifteen years. Jean took charge of the kitchen, while Magali ran the dining room, becoming one of the first female sommeliers to champion and spotlight the wines of Savoie. Together, they defied expectations and made a name for themselves, earning two Michelin stars.
