By: Maria Williams

French native from Clermont-Ferrand, Léa Marquet’s rise through the ranks of the international culinary scene has been built on a foundation of adaptability and a deep commitment to excellence. 

Today, she is a highly sought-after culinary talent. Her diverse portfolio showcases an impressive journey through Michelin-starred restaurants and kitchens around the globe.

Léa grew up in a small town in Auvergne, France. Cooking has always been a family affair for her. Her grandmother, her father, and her mother all had one desire: to please and bring everyone together around a beautiful table. That’s what inspires her today.

Léa Marquet’s Journey to Becoming a Chef

While Léa initially pursued synchronized swimming as a teenager, dedicating significant time to the sport, a pivotal moment came when her parents asked her a simple yet profound question:–

“Would you rather wake up every day and go to the swimming pool or to a restaurant?” 

The answer came swiftly. While the pool had been her arena, the kitchen was her true stage. 

“That was the moment I realized,” she reflects, “I wanted to be a chef, not an athlete.”

Once she had made her decision, she enrolled in the Lycée Hôtelier de Chamalières, a renowned culinary school in France. 

Her dedication knew no bounds, and her ambition pushed her to snag internships in the country’s prestigious kitchens. It all started at Restaurant Lamartine in Savoie, where she immersed herself in the art of handling high-quality ingredients, fine-tuning her skills under the exhilarating pressure of a Michelin-starred kitchen.

But it was her second internship that truly set the stage for her future. She was surrounded by an atmosphere steeped in history and culinary excellence while working at the legendary Paul Bocuse restaurant.

Stepping into the world of high gastronomy for the first time was daunting, especially as a young girl working under the “Pope of Gastronomy.”

Observing the team’s intensity and finesse, she absorbed lessons that would resonate throughout her career. Olivier Couvin, one of Bocuse’s chefs, recognized her talent and suggested she take on a new challenge in the United States.

With little hesitation, she relocated to Orlando, Florida. Despite the cultural and professional adjustments, she quickly proved herself. 

One of the senior chefs, Nicolas Lemoyne, became a mentor, guiding her through the nuances of American fine dining. Within a year, she was promoted to lead cook, a role that marked her first taste of leadership in the kitchen. 

Learning at Michelin-starred Kitchens

Upon her return to France, she felt drawn to the elegance of Christophe Bacquié’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Hotel du Castellet. What followed was an enriching exploration of regional French cuisine, where she mastered local ingredients and uncovered the intricate layers of flavor that make each dish special.

But the desire to explore further lingered. The opportunity to work on Réunion Island—a remote French territory in the Indian Ocean—presented itself, and she jumped at the chance to immerse herself in an entirely different culinary culture. 

“When I arrived, I didn’t know all the local products, which was a bit difficult at first, but my chef, Joffrane Dailly, taught me about the gastronomic culture,” she recalls. 

It was there, amidst the lush tropical landscape, that she fell in love with the simplicity of farm-to-table cooking, picking fresh vegetables and herbs each morning for service.

“There was also a vegetable garden behind the restaurant, and one of my favorite parts of the job was going before service to pick vegetables and flowers to serve the best to customers. I ended up as the first chef de partie in that restaurant.”

By 2021, she set her sights on a new milestone: working for Daniel Boulud, who had just been named “Best Restaurateur in the World” by Les Grandes Tables du Monde. 

She joined his flagship restaurant, Daniel, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan as a chef de partie, one of the high-pressure environments in the culinary world. 

“It was a big restaurant with many famous customers, and working there was a huge step, but it was worth it.”

Under the mentorship of executive chef Eddy Leroux, she pushed herself to not just meet but exceed expectations, learning to highlight ingredients in innovative ways.

A year later, her journey with Boulud continued to his Montreal restaurant, where she became a sous chef. “Chef Romain Cagnat trusted me and taught me aspects of the profession that I had never really learned, such as team management, ordering from producers, and creating dishes for new menus,” she explains. 

This was a real turning point for her, as she started to see the bigger picture beyond just cooking and began to understand what it takes to run a high-end restaurant.

Collaborating with culinary legends like Paul Bocuse, Christophe Bacquié, and Daniel Boulud has not only defined her career but also fueled her relentless drive for mastery. She sees her journey not just as a series of high-profile stints but as a continuous quest for growth. 

Léa’s deep appreciation for the collaborative nature of culinary excellence is central to this growth. She recognizes that in every kitchen, success is built not just on the talents of the chefs at the forefront but also on the dedicated team members who work tirelessly behind the scenes to bring a vision to life. Throughout her career, Léa has been fortunate to work alongside dedicated colleagues who have supported her growth. One such individual is Bastien Turpin, whose collaboration has been a great support throughout her career, contributing to the seamless execution of service and allowing Léa to focus on creativity and leadership.

A Future of Innovation with The Dinex Group

Looking to the future, Léa is thrilled to continue her work with The Dinex Group and Daniel Boulud. “I have a deep love for cooking and constantly strive to innovate and improve my skills,” she says. “This passion drives my career and influences everything I do.” She is excited about the opportunities for growth and creativity within the Dinex Group, seeing it as the perfect platform to further hone her skills and contribute to haute cuisine. 

While Léa’s current focus is firmly on her role within the Dinex Group, she also dreams of opening her own restaurant in a “beautiful city” one day, a place that reflects her culinary philosophy. It won’t just be about the accolades or star ratings but about creating a space that reflects her vision—one that balances precision and creativity, tradition and innovation. 

Léa’sr path, which began in a quaint French town and led to the prestigious kitchens of Michelin-starred establishments worldwide, exemplifies the incredible heights that can be reached through unwavering passion, disciplined hard work, and the bravery to embrace the unfamiliar.

With every role she’s embraced, Léa has gone beyond the label of ‘chef’—crafting her story plate by plate, like an artist creating a masterpiece. Her career is still unfolding, and if her past achievements are any indication, the next chapter will set a new standard for what’s possible.

Published by: Josh Tatunay