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| Hospitality Today | Feb/Mar 14
HT spoke to Michel Rochedy, Chef-Patron
of le Chabichou. Asked about how the hotel
is run by the family, M Rochedy likened
himself to the conductor of an orchestra,
with his son Nicolas as the “first violin”.
Although this shows that he takes a
guiding hand on everything, his main
role has always been in the kitchen, as
Chef. He believes in ‘la cuisine du coeur’ –
cooking from the heart. It is “always about
excellence, and the pleasure of giving”.
The ski season was due to start on the
following Sunday, the beginning of
Christmas week. The UK market seems
to be ‘returning’, and takes second-equal
place with Russia, after the domestic
French market. There was no significant
business from China (yet?), but Singapore
is a growth market.
Le Chabichou is open year-round, unlike
many, and Rochedy said that the Summer
season was very different from the
Winter season – “more difficult”, and
the clientele are very different, being
more low-spending, older walkers rather
than high-spending, younger skiers and
snowboarders.
When HT asked about what it is like in
France to run a business and employ
people, and how helpful the Government
was, M Rochedy chose to answer by
saying with a smile how he has . . .
“much respect for Madame Thatcher”,
and recounting how she came to
Le Chabichou three times for lunch
when she was staying locally on holiday.
He went on to say that tourism was one
of the biggest industries in France – and
certainly the biggest in this region – yet the
Government was not helping. TVA (VAT)
is rising, and charges and regulation
makes it ever harder for each new
generation to take over a family business.
“Nothing is as modern as tradition” was
his characteristically French comment.
It certainly is a family enterprise: whilst
patriarch Michel runs the kitchens with
fellow Chef Stéphane Buron, his wife
Maryse still presides over front of house,
and their son Nicolas acts as GM. The
hotel, open year-round, employs a core
permanent staff of 20, some of whom have
worked for the Rochedys for over 30 years,
and in season employs 80 to 100 locals.