Michaël Arnoult was crowned Chef of the Year 2026, during the Trophées Le Chef, for his signature cuisine deeply rooted in Savoie and already crowned with three Michelin stars.
On Monday September 21, 2026, at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Michaël Arnoult was elected Chef of the Year 2026 by his peers, on the occasion of the 40th edition of the Le Chef Trophies. A distinction which crowns more than twenty years of work in Jongieux, in Savoie, where the chef built with his wife Ingrid a unique house around precise, personal cuisine intimately linked to its territory.
A few months earlier, Les Morainières had obtained its third Michelin star, confirming the career of the chef established in the heart of the Savoyard vineyards since 2005.
Michaël Arnoult, a journey between Val de Loire, England and Savoie
Originally from the Loire Valley, Michaël Arnoult trained at the Montargis hotel school. He then built his experience between France and England before joining, in 2001, Emmanuel Renaut at Flocons de Sel in Megève. He progressed to the position of kitchen assistant.
In 2005, he chose with his wife Ingrid to settle in Savoie and took over Les Morainières, in Jongieux. The couple then chose a house on a human scale, in the heart of the vineyards, where Michaël Arnoult could gradually develop a cuisine that resembles him.
The starred journey began in 2007 with a first star, followed by a second in 2012. In March 2026, Les Morainières won its third Michelin star, becoming the only new three-star restaurant of this edition.
What is Michaël Arnoult’s cuisine?
At Morainières, Michaël Arnoult’s cuisine is above all regional cuisine. The chef works with a network of local producers and builds his proposals according to the availability and quality of the products.
The Michelin Guide also describes a cuisine deeply rooted in the lake and mountain region, particularly through the use of sauces and juices. Among the products highlighted are freshwater fish and crayfish.
This approach is reflected even in the philosophy of the house. At Michaël and Ingrid Arnoult, local products occupy a central place and the cuisine evolves according to the seasons and the best that producers can offer.
Les Morainières, a house closely linked to Jongieux
Established since 2005 in a former cellar in the middle of the Jongieux vineyards, Les Morainières has become over the years an emblematic address of the Savoyard Avant-Pays. The house dominates the wine-growing landscapes, between the Rhône and Lake Bourget.
Its name itself evokes the territory: a moraine designates in particular these lands resulting from the accumulation of rocky debris left by glaciers and suitable for vines in this region. The restaurant thus maintains a particularly close link with its environment.
Michaël Arnoult also works there with his team in a logic of transmission and exchange. The chef gives his colleagues the opportunity to propose ideas and experiment, considering that everyone can contribute to the identity of the house.
Chef of the Year 2026: a distinction awarded by chefs
The particularity of the Le Chef Trophies lies in their method of election. Since their creation in 1987, professionals listed in the Michelin France Guide have voted themselves to distinguish the personalities who have marked their profession during the year. Voting is carried out by secret and anonymous ballot, under the supervision of a bailiff.
For this 40th edition, Michaël Arnoult joins a list inaugurated in 1987 with Joël Robuchon and which has brought together, for four decades, great figures of French gastronomy.
This year, the other winners are Maxence BarbotPastry Chef of the Year at Bristol in Paris, Bastien DebonoSommelier of the Year at Restaurant Yoann Conte in Veyrier-du-Lac, Olivier BikaoService Award at Le Meurice, and Alain PassardTransmission Price at L’Arpège.
With this new distinction, the year 2026 marks a particularly strong stage in Michaël Arnoult’s career: after more than twenty years dedicated to Les Morainières, the Savoyard chef sees his cuisine once again rewarded.
Cover visual © Benoît Linero
