‘The family restaurant, founded in 1906 by my great-grandfather in Chasselay, near Lyon, right next to the Beaujolais, had already seen three generations of Lassausaie in the kitchens. My destiny had been thoroughly mapped out... or almost. When I left hotel school, I headed in the direction of serving in the dining room. However, after a life-changing experience at La Pyramide in Vienne, I decided I would rather be making the music. This I did at L’Oasis in La Napoule, before coming back to my native land and the family restaurant. Since that time, now almost 30 years ago, and sporting the title of Best Worker of France, I have championed a very personal kind of cuisine rooted in my classical training, my love for the cuisine of the Lyon region and my travels abroad. My dishes draw on many different influences and combine the traditional and the modern, the sophisticated and down-to-earth, cuisine from this country and from abroad. They can be sampled in the restaurant or bought from the shop next to it. This means people can continue to enjoy a gourmet experience in their own homes.’
I buy mine from Hervé Mons. I have great faith in the title of MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France, “Best Craftsman of France”), and Hervé was one of the first cheesemakers to win this award in France, in the early 2000s. He takes great care in the ripening of his cheeses, controlling every step in the process. He has a shop in the Halles de Lyon market not far from our restaurant, also run by an MOF winner, Étienne Boissy. Mons delivers to us every week, and also supplies our restaurant in Osaka.
Cheese is a product that is ready to eat as it is. I don’t like to cook with cheese because I don’t want to “destroy” it. Hervé Mons knows how to bring out his cheeses’ full flavor. Our platter includes about 25 varieties, with Saint Nectaire and Fourme d’Ambert all year long.
