Master of the house and chef at La Chapelle Saint Martin

“Always know where you come from. We must remember the people who built us and keep them anchored in our minds”. This is how Gilles Dudognon operates. Originally from Limoges, he trained in Bordeaux alongside Chef Jean Marie Amat from the age of 15. After a tour of France and Europe working with renowned chefs, he joined the team at the Chiberta in Paris working under the man who became his mentor, Philippe Da Silva. 

In 1986, he took charge of the kitchens at the Chapelle Saint Martin, Relais & Châteaux, founded by Viviane and Jacques Dudognon in 1970. Within the first 12 months, he had earned his first Michelin star at the age of 24. 

In 1997, he became Chef-Owner of the establishment when he took over the general management. In 2004, he launched the 27 Restaurant which he sold in 2021. 

In 2012, he created the Restaurant La Table du Couvent in the heart of a former Carmelite Convent in Limoges. In 2019, he opened a Relais & Châteaux villa in Veyrac, Le Clos Colombier, which is available to rent. In 2020, he took over a regional institution, La Maison du Fromage, the oldest food store in town, and in 2021 opened the plant-based bistro, Le Jardin Extraordinaire, in the hotel’s kitchen garden. In 2024, he will embark on a major project to create more accommodation in the heart of the 40 hectares which surround this Relais et Châteaux establishment, bringing the number of rooms to 15. 

Language spoken: French

Photo credit: ARR