After training at the prestigious Ferrandi school and working under the legendary Alain Passard at L’Arpège, Julie has carved her own path in the culinary world—one rooted deeply in vegetables, creativity, and conviction. Inspired by the central role Passard gave to plants on the plate, she embraced a philosophy where produce leads the narrative. From the intensity of Michelin-starred kitchens to the autonomy of being an independent chef, Julie has been pushing boundaries since 2014, championing vegan and vegetarian cuisine as not just valid, but vital. For her, simplicity isn’t a shortcut—it’s a statement. A commitment to quality, to sustainability, and to reshaping the way we think about food in France.
How did your time at L’Arpège under Alain Passard influence your philosophy on plant-based cuisine and creativity in the kitchen?
Working with Alain Passard implies that you pay attention to vegetables, as an essential on the restaurant’s table. Before his statement about veggies, they were considered only like an irrelevant part of the dish in French cuisine. He gave them a central place in the plate. For me, they are the main inspiration. I build my dishes from the local vegetables I can find in season, which has moved the gravity of my cooking.
What were the biggest challenges and revelations during your culinary training at Ferrandi and your transition into the professional kitchen?
First of all, without hard work, nothing is doable. It may sound obvious, but I didn’t think it would be so challenging and demanding. Then, as I stated in the previous answer, the place of animal proteins in French cuisine is overwhelming. It has to change, the world has changed, the culinary training has to acknowledge this too. It’s been a long journey for me, since 2014, to push vegetarian and vegan cuisine as something normal and desirable.
You’ve worked in both high-pressure restaurant environments and now as an independent chef. How do those two worlds compare in terms of creative freedom and professional satisfaction?
Both worlds are very interesting and satisfying, but working as a part of a team and feel the adrenalin of the group in three Michelin stars restaurants is priceless. But as a creative, I somehow prefer working on my own and train my small team to my vision. The ways of working are so different, it’s hard to compare them.
In your experience, how does the French public perceive veganism today, and how has that perception evolved over the last few years?
It’s been almost ten years since I first thought to propose an only vegetarian cuisine, with no compromise. People have always received my cooking very gracefully, but I can feel that these days, everybody finds it just normal, as it was far much controversial ten years ago. I recall being called extreme when I proposed some vegan menus at that time. Today, anyone can agree to eat vegan once in a while, at least. French people have finally surrendered to this idea. It was about time!
In a world that often celebrates complexity in gastronomy, what do you think is the cultural or emotional value of minimalist, pantry-based recipes like this one—especially in the context of family and spontaneity?
I love simple. I think it is the key to better agricultural politics, to a virtuous circle of food. Complexity begins where honesty stops, in my opinion. I don’t mean that technical skills is pointless, but if the purpose is to hide the poor quality of the food, I don’t see the point.
Keeping it simple forces me to use the best ingredients possible. If it’s good, it can even be eaten raw with just a few high quality seasonings. This is also what I am trying to teach my daughters : simplicity and quality lead to the best foods and the best experience, for your health and for the planet. It also leads to autonomy in the kitchen, which is essential in our world invaded with processed foods.
