Toulouse: Thierry Merville “I want to regain my star”
Thierry Merville, chef of the restaurant La Table des Merville lost a star in the selection of the Michelin Guide 2022. Interview.
You have just lost your star. How is your moral?
We felt the shock. Yesterday was very hard but you have to put things into perspective. We take care of our teams (15 employees), our restaurant. With all the phone calls and the media coverage, we feel like we’re reliving the moment when we won our star. It is paradoxical and surprising.
How do your customers react?
Really very good. They ask us. They are a little surprised by this result. But I think nothing will change for them in the image of the restaurant. They will always be received as at home. It is the identity of the place. I also received a lot of support from my fellow restaurateurs. That feels good.
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Are you going to change anything in the way you work?
For now, it’s a bit early to tell. I will continue to be very present in my restaurant. I am a service and kitchen man. After forty years of work in the kitchen, the motivation is still there to have a few more good years. I love my job. Nothing will make me change. On the other hand, I will still make an appointment with a Michelin guide inspector to try to find out the cause of this downgrading. It is a pity not to know anything. Afterwards, we can reflect in a more peaceful way to understand what went wrong. Why we lost this star.
Are you going to remember the adventure with the Michelin?
Absoutely. I want to regain my star. I like the star cuisine. I like to work in this direction. And then it’s a way of not leaving things as they are. Of course. It is both an opportunity to evolve and a challenge to advance in my profession. It would be ridiculous to stop by removing this situation. We often live the tests differently in the second time.
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Do you consider that this ordeal can be positive for you?
Of course. It is both an opportunity to evolve and a challenge to advance in my profession. It would be ridiculous to stop by removing this situation. We often live the tests differently in the second time