« I'm trying to transcribe the values of companionship in my kitchen. » : the bet of Parisian chef Alexandre Chambat
At 29 years old, the chef of the Eskal restaurant, in the 8th arrondissement, offers a breathtaking cuisine, born from his experiences with the greatest as well as his journey of Compagnon du Tour de France.
The precise gesture and the clear verb, Alexandre Chambat corrected in a smile the dressage of a plate before presenting it himself to a guest attached to the elegant travertine counter that surrounds the open kitchen of the restaurant Eskal, rue des Mathurins, in the VIIIth arrondissement of Paris. The 29-year-old leader walks his clear eyes all over the middle of his brigade of six people who are calmly active.
For his first experience as a chef, the Savoyard opened in June, with Ken Nanaumi, a high-end gourmet address with natural and very grassy flavours. The most noble products are thus magnified by the many plants picked and dried and then scattered in the appetizers as well as in the dishes or desserts. The ambition to get a Michelin star is barely hidden. The involvement and work of Alexander Chambat are at the height of the stakes.
« I found there the quest for excellence and sharing knowledge »
Alexandre Chambat is indeed a companion of the Tour de France of the United Duties, one of the companion associations, founded in 1889. Born in the Middle Ages in the craft trades, companionship has since 2010 been registered by Unesco as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Along with young women and men in dozens of trades, these networks carry in standards values of solidarity and fraternity. An environment that seduces the future cook as soon as one of his former trainers pushes him to cross the doors of the association at the age of 17.
« I have found myself in values such as work, humility, courage, self-denial, which are sometimes lost in our society. All in a spirit of brotherhood and benevolence that I am trying to transcribe in my kitchen. I think the customers feel it. », explains the chief.
His cuisine feeds on his childhood memories in Haute-Savoie, hunting or fishing with his grandfather, as well as his journey around the world at the age of 20 with his little brother. A one-year journey where he worked in star restaurants or smaller addresses. Experiments in Chile or Peru that are found in its eggplants marinated in celery juice, red onions and pepper, bathed in lemon.
New mussels and potatoes decorated with a smooth smoked sauce are a reference to the island of Oléron (Charente-Maritime), where he likes to go and relax with his companion. Travel, always. The ten cutlery around the kitchen serves as a privileged place to observe the precise gestures of the mitrons and take advantage of the precise and enthusiastic explanations of the chef.
« A companion never feels alone »
As soon as his schedule allows, Alexandre Chambat goes to the Wednesday evening meetings in La Cayenne de Paris near Les Halles, where he is called by the surname Savoyard, the example of the Companions. « Alexandre is a very discreet person but he is a great future, assures Dominique Saffré, the president of the Union compagnonnique. What young people are taught is to reflect on their actions, to have a mind in hand and a taste for good work. The difference with a simple craftsman is that a companion never feels alone. There's always a shoulder and an ear to listen to. »
Two years ago, the culmination of Alexandre Chambat's journey was the delivery of a masterpiece after hundreds of hours of work. Among his technical prowess, a spectacular sugar oak built around the end of his recently deceased grandfather's walking stick.
« Companioning allows you to learn ancient techniques in parallel with my work in the modern kitchens of the greatest chefs, stresses Chambat. This is not the most common path, but it is a philosophy of life. »
Article by Bertrand Métayer, published on September 9, 2026 in Le Parisien. Reproduced with the kind permission of the newspaper. Photo: LP / Bertrand Métayer.
