The Chef and his teams
Pierre Reboul, crazy about cooking
Pierre Reboul didn’t choose cooking: it chose him!
As the fifth generation of a family of cooks, this Villeurbanne native who spent his childhood in Gap in the Hautes-Alpes, fell into this world as a child. His early years were punctuated by the smells and tastes of his mother's cooking and that of his grandfather's inn in the Diois region, together with family meals at Jacques Pic's restaurant…
His first culinary emotions were inextricably linked to sharing, the pleasure of gathering around a table, the joy of warming, love-filled dishes, and the proof of a passion passed on.
Pierre began his apprenticeship at the age of 15, at the two Michelin-starred Michel Chabran restaurant in Isère.
This marked the start of a career that would take him into some of the world’s finest restaurants, working alongside its top chefs.
From traditional foundations to creative freedom
The young Pierre Reboul went on to multiply his experiences alongside France’s greatest chefs, including a two-year stint with Jacques Pic: an encounter with the man he considers to be "his second grandfather, humble and extraordinary" and who marked his life on both a personal and professional level.
He then moved to Paris and learned from Philippe Legendre at Taillevent and Michel Rostang who offered him his first Chef’s position at L'Absinthe.
In these exceptional establishments, he perfected the art of rigour, technical mastery, and a taste for perfectly executed work and nothing short of excellence.
Returning to the Drôme in 1996, he took up the post of Chef in an establishment in Tain l'Hermitage. This first experience gave him a taste of the freedom to create.
He opened his own establishment, Rive Gauche, in the same town two years later and was awarded a star in 2003, which recognised the successful balance he had struck between creativity and attention to detail…
He then headed for Provence, that he loves for its fine produce, colours and landscapes, first in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, then in the centre of Aix-en-Provence, before finally moving to Château de la Pioline. And with each experience, history repeats itself: the first star is never long in coming in recognition of an establishment where Reboul gives free rein to his imagination and daring, making him a starred Chef for some 20 years now!
Cultivating difference
Maximum risk-taking and an almost intrinsic need to introduce surprise and daring to each and every one of his creations. Pierre Reboul is an artist of boundless energy, an adventurer who dares to shake up the codes and play with them. He was one of the first chefs in the South of France to propose so-called "molecular" cuisine, juggling with aesthetics, temperatures and textures. As a result, the produce that we encounter in this establishment sometimes appears in very disconcerting states, such as the olive oil powder on homemade bread that releases, upon contact with body temperature, a unique cocktail of tastes and flavours…
Immeasurable creativity, audacity and imagination, which would be nothing without a huge amount of research, both in terms of inspiration and execution, technical mastery and a great deal of patience to create the perfect pairings.
A life devoted to cooking and a perpetual quest for innovation, which translates into dishes with a strong, distinctive identity and frank, powerful tastes.
The expression of his emotions and the explosion of flavours, all at the service of gastronomy.
A Passion Passed On
Stories of Men and Women
“United we go further”: this is how the Chef thinks about the restaurant trade, which he likens to his much-loved team sports.
At Château de la Pioline, to bring his unique gourmet score to life, this dynamic Chef has surrounded himself with a small and trusted team. Every day, he delights in transmitting to these individuals his love of cooking and a job well done, sharing his unique creative universe and instilling in them a desire to go ever further in the quest for tastes and the discovery of new flavours.
In this Aix-en-Provence gastronomic restaurant, the experience is also embodied by the individuals who make this place tick: real life stories and strong links between the Chef and his team, all of which can be felt throughout the meal and the time spent in this feel-good venue. A journey rich in shared experiences and emotions.
The team of Chef Pierre Reboul at Château de la Pioline
Consistency and precision
After a career punctuated by stays in top restaurants, this native of Provence returned to his homeland in 2016 at Château de la Pioline.
During his studies at the Ferrandi School of Management in Paris, where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, he first worked in the Pré Catelan (3 stars) under the direction of Frédéric Anton (MOF 2000), then in a 5-star hotel in the south of England, before moving to La Rochelle where he worked with Johann Leclerre (MOF 2007).
With his diploma in hand, he settled down in Bordeaux at the Gabriel alongside François Adamski (MOF 2007) as chef de rang and then maître d’.
In this Aix-en-Provence dining room, he ensures that every customer fully enjoys the culinary experience of Chef Reboul. Professionalism, rigour and precision in service are the strengths of this maître d' who has found in this gastronomic restaurant the perfect setting in which to express his savoir-faire.
Experience and confidence
This experienced cook returned to work alongside the Chef in June 2022, after an initial four-year stint at Château de la Pioline. Vassily Morineau, now the Chef's right-hand man in the kitchen and confidant, has travelled to the four corners of France, building up a wealth of experience and exacting know-how.
Originally from Bourg-d'Oisans, at the foot of Alpe d'Huez, he trained at the Lesdiguières Hotel School in Grenoble, before heading off to Corsica and Paris.
In the capital, he discovered several restaurants and Chefs, before joining the team as Second in Command, which earned him a star at Les Tablettes restaurant of Chef Jean-Louis Nomicos.
In Provence, he opened the Renaissance Hotel with Jean-Marc Bonzo, and then met Chef Reboul.
He stayed at his side for four years, before leaving for two years, only to return to Château de la Pioline to take up the challenges of this daring, gastronomic restaurant!
Rigour and professionalism
When the Chef arrived in 2016 at Château de la Pioline, Karine was already there, working in the catering department.
She stayed on in the team to become a part of this burgeoning adventure.
By dint of rigour, hard work, curiosity and personal investment, earning the Chef’s trust and blossoming both professionally and personally within this small and intimate team.
Pierre Reboul, who works, creates and prepares the desserts in his restaurant, chose her as his right-hand woman to assist him in pastry making.
Brave and loyal, every day Karine continues to play with textures and tastes to conjure up mouth-watering desserts that will be the icing on the cake of your culinary experience.
Folly and poetry
He won over the Chef with his slightly wild side and sense of adventure, having toured the vineyards of France by bicycle as a young man. From a family of actor-filmmakers, he certainly has artistic and poetic leanings and is able to transport customers, in just a few words, on a journey of discovery as to why a particular wine pairs so well with a certain dish.
He met Chef Reboul in 2007, worked and grew alongside him, then left to live in Mexico for several years. Returning with his wife in 2019, he quickly found his place in this Aix-en-Provence gastronomic restaurant becoming one of its mainstays.
At Château de la Pioline, the unique and daring cuisine of his partner in the kitchen is the perfect match and provides the inspiration for a daily quest to uncover depth and intensity in tastes and flavours and to unearth bottles that best accompany each and every dish.
Joviality and discretion
Always with a smile on his face, Christophe has joined our team to prepare for you the most breath-taking of starters.
Modest and cheerful, he also just happens to share the same passions as
the Chef: gastronomy and cycling.
Kindness and conviviality
Having worked alongside Chef Reboul since 2007, the young Sherman started as a dishwasher, before climbing up through the ranks to now officiate as chef de rang at Château de la Pioline.
There is more than just a professional relationship between these two men. A real father-son connection has developed over the years in which it has sometimes been necessary to overcome certain hardships to come out on top.
Between the man everyone calls "Sherman" and Chef Pierre Reboul, the collaboration is genuine and sincere.
Well-known by the clientele, who have nothing but praise for him, the chef de rang has made a name for himself at Château de la Pioline thanks to his good-natured, friendly and caring personality. He wins people over with his charisma, kindness and welcoming spirit, acting as a natural ambassador in the dining room for the cuisine of the Chef he knows so well.