Dinner at the Kitchen Counter of Les Petits Prés, Angers, Loire Valley, France, with Star Chef Samuel Albert (February 2024)

While we were in Angers to prepare the Loire Valley Tour 2024 by ombiasy WineTous, we had dinner at the Les Petits Prés right in the center of Angers. 

"Top Chef France" winner Samuel Albert is the owner and executive chef of this restaurant (and two other restaurants in Angers).  

The place was packed but we were lucky to get two seats at the kitchen counter.  

Sitting at the kitchen counter, we had the chance to observe the cooking of Samuel and his team from very close and also had the opportunity to talk quite a bit with the famous chef. 

Samueal Albert is very much into natural/ organic/ biodynamic wines and the restaurant was packed with winemakers showing their wines at the Salon des Vins Grenier Saint Jean, a wine fair with natural wine producers at the Le Grenier Saint Jean in Angers.

See: Salons des Vins - all with a Focus on Natural, Organic, Biodynamic and Low-intervention Producers in the Loire Valley and elsewhere in France and Europe - in February in Angers and Samour, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)

We will be back in June 2024 with the Loire Valley Tour 2024 by ombiasy WineTous. I am sure Chef Samuel Albert will prepare a fantastic dinner for us.

LOIRE VALLEY: Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024 

 

Annette Schiller: What comes to your mind when you hear ‘Loire Valley’? Of course images of glorious Châteaux pop up in your mind. Yes that is true and we will visit some iconic château and dig deep into France’s history. However, during this wine tour we also discover a magnificent, but often overlooked French wine region and one of the most exciting best kept secrets of excellent, high quality wines at very reasonable prices. The Loire Valley wine region is a vast area and consists of several distinct wine regions, each with its own characteristic grapes, appellations, and wine style. We take you on a journey from the Atlantic Ocean to the Auvergne mountains to explore this unique region. We learn to appreciate “Sancerre”, "Pouilly-Fumé", “Vouvray", “Chinon”, as well as many other not so familiar appellations.

See: Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024) 

  

   

Postings on Schiller-wine Related to the Upcoming 2024 Loire Trip by ombiasy WineTours

 

This is the 5th in a series of postings on Schiller-wine related to the 2024 Loire Valley Trip by ombiasy WineTours in June.

 

A Journey Through The Loire Valley - Seminar at the 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA led by Annette Schiller

Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie at Historic Brasserie Cigale in Nantes, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)

 

Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)

 

Salons des Vins - all with a Focus on Natural, Organic, Biodynamic and Low-intervention Producers in the Loire Valley and elsewhere in France and Europe - in February in Angers and Samour, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)

Chef Samuel Albert

Born and raised in Soucelles, France, Samuel Albert is the Executive Chef and owner of Les Petits Prés in Angers, a restaurant based in his family’s home where he took his first steps in the kitchen. Known for his meticulous plating, his cuisine pushes the boundaries of French and Japanese fusion. Samuel trained under Joël Robouchon in Monaco and London before traveling the globe to perfect his skills working in renowned restaurants in Australia, Switzerland and Shanghai. He also served as the Executive Chef for the Belgium Embassy in Tokyo. As the winner of “Top Chef France” Season 10, Chef Samuel’s culinary achievements have also garnered him the honor of the Order of the Belgian Crown.

Dinner 

Samuel Albert: La carte des Petits Prés c'est l'expression de la cuisine de Samuel Albert, une cuisine fusion entre l'Europe, l'Asie et l'Amérique. Une cuisine faite à base de produits du terroir issus de ses origines angevines et agrémentée des saveurs rapportées de ses voyages.

Wine

The wine list is extensive and special in that it lists only wines certified as natural, organic or biodynamic and the list shows the certification.

We chose a bubbly Loire white by the glass followed by a bottle of Château de Parnay.

Nicolas Pearce Wines: Château de Parnay is the flagship of the AOC Saumur Champigny and a leading Loire producer. The property is located along the Loire river, classified as UNESCO World Heritage, on the most reputable clay and limestone terroirs of the appellation. The historic property was taken over by Mathias Levron & Régis Vincenot in 2006 with the aim of restoring the nobility of this special place.

Drawing their strength from the authenticity of their values, they now cultivate 50 hectares of vines with the aim of producing exceptional wines in a way that respects the environment. They have been certified organic since 2013 and are about to be certified biodynamic too.

Food

Conversation and Observation

    

   

Bye-bye

We will be back in June 2024 with the Loire Valley Tour 2024 by ombiasy WineTours.

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