They are sixteen and have the common point of all wanting to win the title of “Top Chef”.
The competition will be back on M6 from Wednesday March 1 with lots of new features such as the removal of the last chance test for shortened episodes.
The jury remains unchanged with Glenn Viel, Paul Pairet, Philippe Etchebest and Hélène Darroze who will only enter the competition in the quarter-finals with one participant drafted.
Read the dossierDossier: to know everything about “Top Chef”
The new candidates for season 14 of the M6 culinary competition are between 23 and 40 years old and can boast of having often original backgrounds.
We discover in particular a French chef based in Montreal in Canada and owner of several restaurants, a former self-taught advertiser, a seasoned cook who is also a reggaeton singer, a specialist in holistic cuisine and, for the first time in the history of the show , two brothers who take part in the adventure together.
Discover the journey of each of them:
Albane Auvray
23 years old, Paris (Île-de-France): fan of holistic cuisine
Albane grew up in Auvergne in a self-sufficient foster family.
Working with good products is therefore like second nature to her.
At the age of 14, she began a CAP and an apprenticeship in a brewery and took part in the competition for the best cold kitchen apprentice.
She then moved to Paris where she joined the Clarence (double star) at 17 and then passed her professional baccalaureate as an apprentice with Alan Geaam (one star).
At the end of her studies, she was head clerk at Éric Fréchon's Bristol (three stars) and then left for Asia for two months to learn street cooking.
On her return to France, she became demi-chef de partie in Guy Savoy's restaurant at Monnaie de Paris, then sous-chef at Chiberta.
She then became interested in well-being and holistic cuisine.
She trained as a naturopath and became the chef of a coworking restaurant and another of well-being street food.
Executive head of the Nest group, she now wants to embark on new projects.
Passionate about contests, she decided to try her luck in "Top chef".
Victor Blanchet
24 years old, Paris (Ile-de-France): between sport and cooking
Born in Haiti, he was adopted at the age of two with his sister by a family living in Laval in Mayenne.
This athletics enthusiast (he still does it) has loved cooking since he was a child.
As a teenager, he decided to go into the kitchen, went to hotel school and then passed his Bac pro and his BTS.
He then left for the United States for some time.
On his return, he worked at the gourmet restaurant Belle Rive in Angers and then moved to Paris where he joined the NESO kitchens of Guillaume Sanchez (one star) as commis then demi-chef de partie.
He then left for Castel Clara in Belle Île en Mer and then returned to Paris to become demi-chef de partie at L'Arpège, Alain Passard's three-star restaurant, where he still works as a chef de partie rotisserie.
Read also“Top Chef”: the broadcast date of season 14 revealed, with the promise of shortened episodes
Jean Covillault
26 years old, Paris (Ile-de-France): talent, spontaneity and humor
Originally from Auvergne, he does not come from a family of restaurateurs but has always seen his grandmother and his mother working with the right products.
As a child, he loves the ceremonial of the meal and everything that goes around it.
He studied at the Paul Bocuse Institute where he learned everything.
He then worked in the South West before traveling thanks to the Intercontinental group as a sous-chef in establishments in Lisbon, Marseille, Malta and Amsterdam.
He then moved to Paris where he became manager of a four-star hotel.
Full of humor, spontaneous and with a smile glued to his lips, he likes to say that he is
"an old man in a young body"
and has a passion for golf, cigars and mushroom picking.
He is very happy to be able to participate in “Top Chef”, especially to meet great people.
He offers a simple, generous, friendly and full of pep cuisine.
Berangere Fagart
33 years old, Pantin (Ile-de-France): from cinema to cooking
Bérangère has always loved cooking and has followed all the seasons of “Top Chef”.
However, it is first towards artistic expression that she heads, earning a diploma in Dramatic Body Mime.
She continues this path by multiplying experiences in cinema, music as a DJ and events in general.
Her first experience in the kitchen did not go very well but she did not give up the idea of making it her profession.
She passed her CAP as a free candidate in 2015 and obtained her diploma.
She then launched a catering business and then became the chef of a restaurant, her first experience.
In 2019, she opened her own establishment in the 11th arrondissement of Paris called Selune, just before confinement... She offers committed and eco-responsible cuisine there.
She is from
Jeremiah Falissard
40 years old, Montreal (Quebec): celebrity chef in Canada
Born in Paris, Jérémie grew up in Sainte-Maxime on the Côte d'Azur between an artist mother and a musician father.
After a difficult schooling, he chose cooking during his orientation at the end of the third year and followed a two-year training course.
He then perfected his apprenticeship in the hotels of the region and experimented during his various experiences, the sometimes very difficult mentality that reigns behind the stoves.
He decides to stop the job and goes to London where he becomes a bartender for a year before settling in Montreal in Canada.
He has lived there for 18 years now and has opened there, with his best friend, four restaurants (two pizzerias, a gastro and a bistro) as well as two cocktail bars, one of which was voted "best discovery of the 50 Best " This year.
Very curious,
he leaves every year to do internships in restaurants around the world to continue learning.
“Top chef” represents for him the opportunity to question himself.
The restaurant of a candidate among the 100 best pizzas in Italy
Carla Ferrari
26 years old, Naples (Italy): precocious and award-winning in Italy
Coming from a family that did not like to cook at all, she takes the family fridge in hand and makes good little dishes from childhood.
As a teenager, she hosted cooking shows and even released a cookbook at 14!
She trained at the École Ferrandi and then worked in Aubrac with Michel Bras then with Pascal Barbot at L'Astrance (three stars) as chef de partie.
With the idea of opening her own establishment, she enrolled in a Masters to learn management and left for Turin in Italy for six months... There, she fell in love with an Italian and, loving to go where you don't not expect it, decides to open a pizzeria in Turin and then in Naples.
After six months of opening, it finds itself ranked among the 100 best pizzas in Italy.
Carla became a mother last April.
Miguel Garcia Herrera
27 years old, Lyon (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes): from Mexico to Lyonnais corks
Miguel is Mexican and has always dreamed of becoming a cook.
If his parents could not support him financially to make his wish come true, his grandfather, a Sicilian and a cook in the United States, always encouraged him.
As a child, he passionately watched cooking shows like “Top Chef” or “MasterChef” and cooked for his four little brothers.
After leaving for Spain, he joins the foreign legion in order to have papers and perhaps be able, one day, to work in France.
He was a parachutist in Corsica for two years before an accident caused him to leave the Legion.
He moved to Lyon where he met his wife and began his career in a Lyonnais stopper.
He continued his apprenticeship in bistros and brasseries.
He became chef de partie at Margueritte Bocuse and Bistrot Abel before becoming chef at L'Astra.
When it closes, he becomes sous-chef at Bistrot Abel.
He continues to perfect his knowledge through cookbooks.
In his dishes, he mixes French techniques and Mexican flavors.
Read alsoFind out which juror of “Top Chef” will participate in the show “Very very good” for the first time
Danny Khezzar
26 years old, Ambilly (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes): seasoned cook and talented musician
Originally from Rosny-sous-Bois in the 93, Dany has a unique career.
He discovers the kitchen when his parents offer him a brunch at the Ritz in Paris for his fifteenth birthday where he meets Michel Roth who gives him his menu.
He then completed his first internship with him before enrolling at the Jean Drouan hotel school in Paris.
He then started in the kitchens of Pierre Gagnaire, who taught him a lot.
He then followed Michel Roth when he moved to Switzerland and launched the Bayview in Geneva (18/20 at Gault&Millau) and climbed the ladder.
He is now a sous-chef at 26 years old!
But Danny is not only a seasoned cook but also an accomplished musician.
Passionate about music, he has a reggaeton group, a kind of Latin rap,
baptized Les frères bizzy which has accumulated millions of views on the internet and goes on to concerts.
By participating in “Top chef”, his first competition, he will show his two facets for the first time.
Jacques Lagarde
27
years old, Marbella (Spain): the “Top Chef” adventure with his brother
Child of five siblings, Jacques was raised by his brothers and sisters.
He is particularly close to Mathieu, three years his senior, who passed on his passion for cooking to him.
He started out in the Parisian bistro Sebillon before becoming demi-chef de partie at the two-star restaurant Les Petites Sorcières run by Ghislaine Arabian, then chef de partie at the Pavillon Montsouris.
He then left for Australia with his brother Mathieu and then for New Zealand where he worked at Amisfield, the best restaurant in the country, still with his brother.
He finally leaves the country to settle, for love, in Spain where he starts from scratch.
He is now chef and co-owner of the Cascada Marbella restaurant.
He signed up on a whim for "Top Chef", once again following his brother Mathieu.
VS'
Mathieu Lagarde
30 years old, Queenstown (New Zealand): cook from the end of the world
When he was young, Mathieu did not dream of being a cook but loved working with his hands.
He learns a lot from his Portuguese grandmother who bakes her bread, produces her cheese and lives from her garden.
At 15, he naturally headed down this path and became more and more passionate as he learned.
He was first an apprentice at Chez André then became chef de partie at the restaurant Le Congrès.
He then worked at the Pavillon Montsouris as a clerk, chef de partie then sous-chef at the age of 21!
He joined the double-starred La grande cascade and left for Australia with his little brother Jacques.
He loves the wilderness, fishing and hunting there.
He continued his travels to New Zealand where he became executive chef of the country's most recognized restaurant.
At first reluctant to do "Top Chef", he finally agreed to
A self-taught advertiser among the candidates
Cesar Lewandowski
26 years old, Brussels (Belgium): entrepreneur and traveler
Born in Marseille, he had a special childhood since he was diagnosed with cancer when he was a child.
During this difficult period, he began to cook and took a liking to it.
He has a chaotic school career and decides to embark on a culinary training at the Ferrandi school in Bordeaux.
He began his apprenticeship at the Hôtel du Palais and in Alain Passard's three-star restaurant, L'Arpège.
Then, he left France at the age of 22 and traveled to England, Azerbaijan and opened a restaurant in Bali where he mixed French and Indonesian influences.
During the pandemic, he moved to Brussels and still lives there.
At the beginning of the year, he set up on his own, organizes events and opens a street-food counter in the city center of Brussels called César Rolls.
While
he launches into entrepreneurship, he participates in “Top chef” to challenge himself and better understand his cuisine.
On his plates, he particularly likes to highlight fish.
Alexandre Marchon
36 years old, Paris (Ile-de-France): former self-taught advertiser
Alexandre has a particular profile since he first studied commerce and then worked in advertising for four years.
Passionate about cooking since his earliest childhood, he took part in the program “An almost perfect dinner” and, following his victory, decided to quit everything.
Ten years ago, he quit his job to launch a home chef service.
This autodidact learns on the job by cooking for his customers and studying in books.
Then, he was offered to launch a restaurant menu and take over the management of a second establishment (both Argentinians).
He discovers the professional kitchen and holds this role of chef for two years.
The daily life of a kitchen is less pleasing to him, he embarks on consulting and accompanies various restaurant openings.
On the quays of the Seine,
he opened an ephemeral establishment then signed the savory menu of Christophe Michalak Polichinelle's restaurant.
In August 2020, he launched his own establishment, Marchon, in the 11th district of Paris.
He embarked on the “Top chef” adventure to rediscover the pleasure of cooking.
Leo Renusson
27 years old, Paris (Ile-de-France): between humility and multiple talent
He discovered cooking thanks to his family and in particular his mother and grandmother, who had eleven children.
The large tables, he knows!
After a classical education, he perfected his training in Alsace in the restaurant Le sarment d'or in Riquewihr.
He then moved to London where he practiced pastry in restaurants like Chez Antoinette or Feya.
He is now in Paris, at the head of the establishment specializing in Astara caviar.
Little competitor at heart, he would never have thought of doing a competition of the magnitude of "Top chef".
When the production contacted him, he even thought it was a joke.
He is happy to have the opportunity to do something with what he does in his daily life.
He loves nature and puts seasonal products at the heart of his dishes.
Read alsoNew role of Hélène Darroze and mechanical changes: discover the novelties of season 14 of “Top Chef”
Hugo Riboulet
24 years old, Annecy-le-Vieux (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes): a 100%
gastronomic journey
Originally from Ardèche, Hugo chose to make cooking his profession thanks to his mother and grandmother who were always in the kitchen.
He has been immersed in this universe since his earliest childhood and chose to go for a professional cooking baccalaureate after his third year.
He then went on to experiment in starred restaurants such as that of Régis and Jacques Marcon or at the Domaine de Beaumanière.
Passionate about haute cuisine, he turned to a BTS cooking alternately with the starred Japanese chef Masashi Ijichi in the restaurant La Cachette in Valence.
For two years, he learned a lot from him.
He then worked in Annecy at Laurent Petit's Café Brunet before joining the chef's gourmet restaurant, Le Clos des Sens, as chef de partie.
He still works there today
today as a second in the kitchen.
Hugo likes to highlight the vegetable in his plates and participates in "Top chef" to live a great experience.
Gaston Savina
28 years old, London (England): the chef of the stars
Gaston did not have an easy childhood since he lost his father in his early teens.
At school, it is not much rosier since he experiences great difficulties and finds himself in academic failure.
Fortunately, he has a real passion for cooking which, according to him, “saved his life”.
Finding his way allowed him to discover himself as a chef but also as a man.
Top of his class during his hotel baccalaureate, he trained with chefs like Franck Graux or Christophe Langrée.
Six years ago, this queer chef created his private luxury event company for brands and celebrities.
He has settled in London and travels regularly between the British capital,
Dubai and Paris and cooking for well-known stars like Madonna or members of various royal families around the world.
He takes part in “Top chef” to get feedback from the chefs on his cuisine, which he describes as creative and regressive at the same time.
Sarika Sor
28 years old, Lille (Hauts-de-France): winner of “Objectif Top Chef”
Sarika's parents are Cambodian and fled their country after the Khmer Rouge genocide.
They wanted their children to study for a long time.
Third of four siblings, she therefore obtained a master's degree in marketing and management and became a product manager in a DIY store.
Two years ago, she decided, during confinement, to change her life.
She who helped her uncle and aunt in their restaurant turns to cooking which has always been a passion.
Based in Lille for eight years, she began a CAP in one year and continued her training with a one-year Bac pro as well.
Apprentice in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Lille, she signed up for “Objectif Top Chef” last year and won the competition.
A victory which allowed him, then, to integrate "Top Chef" in the
team of his mentor Philippe Etchebest.
His cuisine combines French techniques and Asian influences.
