Jean Sulpice: a two-Michelin-star chef, cycling and intensity

Episode in French.

Jean Sulpice is a chef with two Michelin stars at his restaurant Le Père Bise in Talloires, on the shores of Lake Annecy.

Building bridges between fine dining and cycling is usually a tricky exercise, but Jean has managed to find them a common denominator: intensity.

Because whether he’s riding in his own backyard around Lake Annecy, ski mountaineering in a skinsuit on the Pierra Menta course, or in the kitchen surrounded by his brigade, Jean has only one level of intensity: the maximum.

And had he not chosen cooking, there’s no doubt he could have had a great career as an elite athlete.

But the challenge that has driven Jean since he started behind the stoves at the age of 16 is earning the highest distinction for a chef running a restaurant: a third Michelin star.

And to get there, he structures his project with an approach that has a lot in common with that of the biggest pro teams in mountain biking or on the road. And like the leaders of those teams, he brings partners and friends along on the adventure, all rallied to help him reach his goal.

In this episode, expect to discover:
– The steely mindset and exceptional physique that allowed him to finish in the lead group on his first Roc d’Azur (France’s biggest mountain bike festival).
– The very special relationship he had with his bike there, and why he went as far as talking to it during the race.
– The behind-the-scenes of his Pierra Menta, one of the most prestigious ski mountaineering races in the world, alongside Charles Dubouloz, a monument of French mountaineering.
– How he manages to combine a minister’s schedule, as chef-owner of a two-star restaurant, with intensive sport.
– Why he sees sport as central to his quest for the third star.
– How he rallies partners and friends from his region around his project, and the fascinating similarities between his daily life and that of the pro teams performing at the highest level.
– Why you absolutely must treat yourself to a fine-dining experience before you die, and a few precious tips to make the most of it.
– And plenty of other things.

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Episode links:
https://www.jeansulpice.com/auberge-du-pere-bise/
The Pierra Menta https://www.pierramenta.com/
The Spinal Tap reference https://youtu.be/4xgx4k83zzc?si=POhp3dYLtdX3rPWh