Jean Sulpice, Michelin-Starred Chef

Deeply rooted in the Savoy region, its local products, and the Alpine landscapes that shaped his childhood, Jean Sulpice brings to the table at Auberge du Père Bise stories of ascents and exploration in the heart of the Alps.

Stage 1.

A Savoyard chef

The grandson of hotel and restaurant owners, Jean Sulpice was born in 1978 in Aix-les-Bains, Savoie. He grew up close to nature and in the lively world of kitchens, before starting his apprenticeship with chefs Jean and Pierre Martin at Auberge Lamartine in Bourget-du-Lac. In 1998, he joined the team of the renowned multi-starred Savoyard chef Marc Veyrat, then based at La Maison Bleue on the shores of Lake Annecy, just a few kilometers from Talloires.

At his side, Sulpice learned not just to replicate but to create, understand, and interpret the local terroir. He eventually became Veyrat’s right-hand man and sous-chef at La Ferme de mon Père in Megève. It was there he met Magali, his future partner.

He then spent time in Brittany, in Paris with Pierre Gagnaire, and in Provence with Edouard Loubet—three final steps in his training within Michelin-starred establishments. In 2002, he returned to the Alps. Jean and Magali Sulpice moved to Val Thorens, one of the most athletic ski resorts in the world and the highest point of the 3 Vallées.

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Stage 2.

A Sporting Chef

At L’Oxalys restaurant in Val Thorens, located at an altitude of 2,300 meters, Jean Sulpice gradually shaped his identity as an alpine chef, adapting to the seasonal rhythm of the high mountains and the demands of fine dining in extreme conditions.

As he forged his culinary path, he became a ski mountaineer in winter, a cyclist in summer, and an avid mountain hiker year-round. A chef of the summits, he drew inspiration from Alpine sports and nature. In 2006, he earned his first Michelin star, and in 2010, at just 32 years old, a second—making him the head of the highest Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe until his departure.

A Man of Challenges

The story could have ended in Val Thorens, but Jean Sulpice is a man who thrives on challenges. Those who have seen him on the Etape du Tour de France—a demanding amateur race held in the conditions of the Tour—or on the steep climbs of the legendary ski mountaineering race La Pierra Menta, know this well. In both sport and cooking, Jean Sulpice never stops. He is one of those who always push further.

In 2016, ready to move beyond the constraints of high-altitude life, he took over the iconic Auberge du Père Bise in Talloires—the most storied dining establishment in Savoie—alongside his wife and daily partner, Magali Sulpice. After six months of renovation, the Auberge reopened in May 2017 under the name Auberge Père Bise – Jean Sulpice. That same year, he was named “Chef of the Year” by the Gault&Millau guide.

In February 2018, the Michelin Guide awarded him two stars. In 2019, Jean Sulpice was officially named a Chevalier of the National Order of Merit.

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