Interview Matthieu Hervé, Michelin-starred chef of Le Cèdre Montcaud

In March 2024, Matthieu Hervé and his restaurant Le Cèdre de Montcaud earned their first Michelin star, crowning six years of relentless work in this Provençal château in the Gard. A meeting with a passionate chef who has successfully combined culinary excellence with Mediterranean art de vivre at the heart of Château de Montcaud.

Matthieu Hervé Le Cèdre de Montcaud

The origins of a culinary vocation

From Norman roots to Provence

Can you tell us about your Norman origins and what led you to cooking?

"My Norman origins still influence my cuisine today: I love butter and cream! It all started by chance with a discovery internship in Year 9 at the village restaurant. I needed to find an internship, so I found this one at the restaurant."

When did you know you wanted to become a chef?

"At 15, during that Year 9 internship. I loved the atmosphere, the pressure and the rigour – something I certainly needed at that time."

Training with great chefs

You worked with Daniel Boulud in New York, then at the Négresco. How did these experiences shape you?

"It was mainly the Négresco in Nice, where I worked for 5 years, that shaped me the most. It was my first experience in a starred restaurant. I learned everything with Jean-Denis Rieubland, my chef at the time, and I loved the family atmosphere despite the size of the establishment."

Arriving at Château de Montcaud

A new challenge in Provence

What attracted you to the Château de Montcaud project in 2018?

"It was a beautiful challenge for a first head chef position… and the cicadas!" confides Matthieu Hervé with a smile.

How did your installation go and the creation of Le Cèdre's menu?

"The installation went very well with complete support from the owners. I was given carte blanche. At the beginning, I created the menu based on market products and my past inspirations. In your first head chef position, you don't necessarily have a defined culinary identity – that comes with time, depending on the products you like to work with.

For the past two years, we've adopted a blind tasting menu concept, which allows more flexibility in the kitchen. It's more interesting because every day we change, we adapt, and it's more challenging for the teams. If clients return several times, we never serve them the same thing twice – you have to innovate."

The 2024 Michelin Star: a dream come true

The big day: an unforgettable emotion

Tell us about the day you received your first Michelin star.

"The restaurant was closed that day, but I was in the kitchen testing the new menu. The Guide called, but I missed the call – it was an unknown number! The person had left a message saying it was the Guide and I needed to call back urgently. But they didn't say the star had been awarded, it was just an invitation to the ceremony… the suspense was kept until the very end."

What was your team's reaction?

"The day before leaving for the ceremony, I announced to the team that I was invited… everyone was very happy, of course. I left for the ceremony and among colleagues, they organised a live viewing from the seminar room, with champagne and a Norman tart! Once we got confirmation, we organised a big thank-you cocktail a few days later, to thank our best clients, our suppliers, and of course the whole team."

Six years of perseverance

Did you have this ambition from your arrival at the château?

"Indeed, when coming to the Château, the ambition was to get a star. There were a few obstacles along the way: opening in November 2018, COVID, which meant the restaurant remained closed during that period, reopening in 2023, and obtaining it in 2024. So we worked intensively for the star for one year."

Culinary philosophy and signature creations

Locavore and seasonal cuisine

How would you define your culinary style at Le Cèdre de Montcaud?

"My cuisine is locavore and seasonal. I have a classic base with a twist of modernity, unexpected and original flavours."

Can you tell us about your signature dishes?

"My signature dishes are:

These are dishes that represent what I like to eat and work with."

The creative process

How is a new dish born in your kitchen?

"There's nothing particularly creative in my approach, it depends on the day's deliveries. We discuss as a team, everyone brings their ideas, we do a test, if it works, it works, if it doesn't work, too bad. During the season, it's complicated to be creative between managing two restaurants, room services, pool requests…"

Provençal terroir and local sourcing

The importance of local terroir

How important is Provençal terroir in your cuisine?

"We select our producers as locally as possible, no specific perimeter but for practical reasons, we try to stay within 20 km around the Château. We favour sustainable farming, but not necessarily organic. Provençal terroir is found directly on the plate with the products we use."

What is your favourite Provençal product?

"Tomatoes! They can be used in all forms, sweet, savoury, from amuse-bouche to dessert. There are many varieties, each with its specificities."

How does your menu evolve with the seasons?

"The menu evolves according to deliveries. If a product is no longer available, we adapt the dish or change it. Products are strictly seasonal."

Management and team spirit

Benevolent leadership

What is your management style?

"My style is paternalistic and participative – everyone has their say, no shouting in the kitchen, rather a playlist to cook to music. My right-hand man, Maxime Vicens, did his first 3 years after apprenticeship at the Château. He then left for 3 years to a 3-star restaurant and returned this year as sous chef."

What atmosphere do you want to maintain?

"A good atmosphere, everyone working in the same direction, with a spirit of mutual help."

The impact of the star on daily life

How has this star changed your daily routine?

"Nothing has changed in the organisation since obtaining the star, except that we have more visibility and clientele. On the client side, expectations have even decreased since obtaining the star, which is a guarantee of quality. Clients trust us, they feel confident in a starred restaurant."

Collaborations and influence

The art of collaboration

How do your collaborations with other starred chefs work?

"Everyone puts down on paper the dishes they want to make, then we adjust to have coherence between dishes, no repetition of flavours. So far, collaborations have gone very well, with good exchanges that allow us to be inspired by other chefs' best practices."

Are you planning other special events?

"Yes, we have planned collaborations on 19th August with Chef Denis Martin and 12th October with Chef Guido Nino Torres."

Ambitions and future vision

A sparkling future

What are your objectives for the coming years?

"To get a second star," responds Matthieu Hervé with a smile.

How do you see the evolution of Le Cèdre de Montcaud?

"Maintaining the Michelin star and becoming a reference address in the gastronomic landscape."

What advice would you give to a young person who wants to become a starred chef?

"Work. Or have talent."

The Le Cèdre de Montcaud experience

A service philosophy

How do you work with the service team?

"We work closely with the sommelier for 4 years now, to create perfect food and wine pairings. The maître d' tastes the dishes and works with me on the names and presentation of dishes to clients. He must know the cuisine inside out to answer clients' questions."

If you had to define the Le Cèdre de Montcaud experience in one sentence?

"A culinary journey where the chef transports you into his universe."

Excellence in service of provençal art de vivre

Matthieu Hervé perfectly embodies the spirit of Château de Montcaud: technical excellence, assumed simplicity and communicative passion. His journey, from Normandy to Provence via New York and the Côte d'Azur, now nourishes a starred cuisine that respects local products while bringing that touch of originality that makes the difference.

the spirit of Château de Montcaud

At Le Cèdre de Montcaud, each service is conceived as "a culinary journey" where technique fades before emotion, where tradition dialogues with modernity. A philosophy that has seduced Michelin inspectors and continues to win over clientele seeking authenticity and excellence.

At Le Cèdre de Montcaud

Discover Michelin-starred cuisine by chef Matthieu Hervé at Le Cèdre de Montcaud by booking by phone 0033 4 66 33 20 15 or via email: info@chateaudemontcaud.com