Yoann Conte, from sport to two-Michelin-star cuisine, from Brittany to Haute-Savoie
You don't come to Yoann Conte's La Maison Bleue by chance. You come here for an experience. To rediscover flavours you thought you knew. To understand that a vegetable can be as intense as a meat dish. On the shores of Lake Annecy, the birthplace of Baouw, Yoann Conte shares his culinary world, where nature sets the pace and where each dish highlights his roots in Brest... and Chamonix!
A two-Michelin-starred chef since 2013, Yoann Conte has been navigating between the sea and the mountains since childhood. This dual culture is deeply rooted in his cuisine: the iodine of Brittany on one side, the minerality and harshness of the Alps on the other. From the simplicity of the people of the sea to that of the mountain dwellers, it was only a small step, which Yoann Conte took cheerfully with sincerity and rigour.
Welcome to Yoann Conte's table!
At La Maison Bleue, Yoann Conte's cuisine continues to evolve, staying true to its roots but always moving forward. In recent years, the chef has further strengthened his understanding of the Haute-Savoie region by working hand in hand with local market gardeners, foragers and producers. Vegetables, already central to his cuisine, take on an almost narrative dimension: each menu becomes a sensory journey between lake, forest and mountain pastures. This locavore approach was rewarded in 2020 when Yoann Conte was awarded a green star in the Michelin Guide, which recognises responsible gastronomy.
Far from seeking to show off, Yoann Conte's cuisine instead champions a form of simplicity, where technique serves the product, never the other way around. This approach resonates strongly with current expectations: eating better, understanding what we eat, and experiencing genuine emotion. The chef consistently upholds this philosophy, season after season, by embracing a committed approach to cooking.
A Michelin-starred chef behind every recipe in your Baouw
But Yoann Conte is also the chef who devises and concocts Baouw's recipes. As well as being our rock. Our bedrock. The one who always stands firm (in his sailor's boots? Gardener's boots? We couldn't say). An extraordinary chef, whose career began far from the spotlight, between meals for children, intensive sport... and a famous story about majorettes who stole from his cash box, which we may one day get to the bottom of!
Yoann Conte: a talented rise to fame, now at the service of your sports nutrition
Trained at the Savoie-Léman hotel school and having honed his skills at L'Eridan, then run by Marc Veyrat, our favourite chef rose through the ranks without ever compromising his convictions: local cuisine that respects life and is generous. The accolades came thick and fast, as evidenced by Yoann Conte's list of achievements:
- Two stars in the Michelin Guide, maintained continuously since 2013
- 5 chef hats at Gault & Millau
- Voted Chef of the Year in 2023 by Gault & Millau
- A score of 19/20 awarded by the renowned yellow guide, reserved for a very select group of exceptional French restaurants. Sixteen, to be precise!
Since 2023, Yoann Conte has maintained this same high standard while continuing to develop his cuisine in tune with the seasons, harvests and his inspirations.
Michelin-starred chef, judge and advisor on a prestigious cooking programme
As a true enthusiast, Yoann Conte sees passing on his knowledge as an integral part of his DNA. In 2023, he put his expertise at the service of young talent by joining the jury of a first iconic cooking show, alongside Philippe Etchebest and Juan Arbeláez. He then joined the team of a second programme that every gastronomy enthusiast has already watched, alongside Paul Pairet and Hélène Darroze, among others.
Frank, demanding but deeply caring, Yoann Conte impresses the contestants with his keen eye for technique, taste and consistency in a dish. The blind tastings chosen for this season force the contestants to focus on the essentials: the product, mastery and emotion. Explaining the ‘why’ before the ‘how’, giving meaning to actions, creating a lasting collective dynamic. A playing field perfectly aligned with the chef's philosophy.
Yoann Conte & Baouw: a shared vision of taste and meaning
Alongside his restaurant, Yoann Conte is fully committed to the Baouw adventure, alongside Gilles Galoux and Benoît Nave. We emphasise ‘fully’ because, more than a partnership, this is a co-founder's involvement, guided by shared convictions: a taste for good things, the quest for meaning, transparency in recipes and a sports nutrition that is truly beneficial to exercise
He is involved right from the recipe design stage, bringing his chef's perspective to flavour combinations, textures and overall balance. His high standards help avoid the classic pitfall of sports nutrition: products that are effective on paper but boring or sickening to use. This involvement results in recipes where pleasure is never sacrificed for performance. Quite the contrary! For Yoann Conte, effective nutrition is nutrition that you want to consume, even after several hours of exercise. This is a strong conviction, fuelled by his personal experience as an endurance athlete.
“My mind is constantly buzzing. I have a new passion every minute... we're never going to be bored!”
This creative effervescence is reflected in every Baouw recipe, where plants play a central role and energy is designed for the long term, without sudden spikes or crashes.
Baouw, a taste for adventure and the great outdoors
It must be said that Yoann Conte's commitment to Baouw is as personal as it is emotional: "At the time, I was trail running and competing in the UTMB, and I had bought a disgusting brand that I won't name. After a while, my palate was oversaturated with sweet flavours. It was really too chemical for me, and honestly, after a while, I was disgusted by the sweet taste. As a consumer and an athlete, I didn't have much to choose from. So when I was offered a job in sports nutrition, I immediately said yes."
A former trail runner and UTMB finisher, Yoann Conte is well aware of the limitations of ultra-processed sports nutrition. Too sweet. Too chemical. Hard to digest. It was therefore his standards as a chef and his experience as an athlete that enabled Baouw to develop organic, ultra-natural and delicious recipes.
“I needed to eat properly and healthily while exercising. Today, I finally have something interesting available to me as a consumer. I am proud to wear a brand like Baouw.”
Together with his wife Élodie, Yoann Conte even decided to invest financially in the brand, convinced by the authenticity of the project, its spirit of adventure and its ability to think outside the box. Far from the kitchen, but still guided by taste!
Yoann Conte, a committed chef, from Lake Annecy to the trail running paths
Between Michelin-starred cuisine, knowledge sharing, sport and responsible nutrition, Yoann Conte embodies a modern vision of the chef: committed, curious, demanding and deeply human. A common thread runs through all his adventures: respect for life and the quest for perfection, both on the plate and in his efforts.
