Natural splendour in rural France

Master chef Christophe Gregoire was born and raised in the Les Vosges region of France, also home to the country’s greatest heroine, Joan of Arc, and famous for its spa resorts, pristine lakes and mountains, and rustic farmhouse inns.

Here, he immersed himself in a culinary tradition that has been alive for centuries, since farmers first used bronze tools, one based on seasonal produce and the landscape’s generous bounty.

Bungendore isn’t so far away

After practising and teaching around the world, Christophe met Josephine while working in New Caledonia. Living, working and raising a family in Bungendore, Christophe and Josephine complement each other in life as well as their passion for food, bringing their hearts full of vitality and warmth to Le Très Bon.

Bungendore village may seem a world away from Christophe’s French heritage. However, the two share something vital — the perfect granite soils for producing fruity, floral red wines and growing truffles, berries and other essential ingredients in French cuisine.

Terroir, the taste of a place

Christophe is passionate about fresh, local produce, which Bungendore’s providores put at his fingertips, including organic meat.

Some would call his style “slow food”; however, the much older French term terroir is a better description. It means “a sense of place”, the idea that a region’s climate, soil and physical shape of the landscape add distinctive flavours to its agricultural produce.

This, Christophe believes, is the difference between a meal and a lasting gastronomic experience.