The legacy
Cooking is a family affair for the Bras family. It's a heritage that Sébastien embraced from a very young age, with the desire to always pay homage to it.
From Angèle to Michel
Affectionately nicknamed "Mémé Bras," Angèle Bras acquired a modest working-class restaurant in Laguiole in 1956. Her mother provided "tasty home cooking," according to her son, Michel. This early introduction to cooking was a significant step for the self-taught chef, who was soon at the stove helping his mother. Initially a necessity, it later became the guiding thread of Michel Bras's life, driven as much by his contemplative nature as by his endless desire to experiment.
With his wife, Ginette, he took over his mother's restaurant in Laguiole in 1968, thus forging his own path towards a cuisine inspired by nature and the Aubrac region, with the desire to share a contemporary expression of it. In 1992, he created the hotel-restaurant Le Suquet atop a hill overlooking Laguiole. A "folly," as Michel would later admit. His refined, bold, sincere, innovative cuisine was acclaimed worldwide and continues to influence many cooks and enthusiasts.
From Michel to Sébastien
Lulled by the clatter of pots and pans and the aromas of broths wafting into his room, located above the kitchens, Sébastien honed his skills on the family piano from a very young age. There was no time for Sébastien to take up his own instrument. About to leave for San Francisco, culinary diploma in hand from the Institut Paul Bocuse, he couldn't resist the call of his homeland, which needed its most energetic members for the opening of Le Suquet. Father and son forged a relationship of trust, and sometimes mistrust, but were aware that they shared the same vision and sensibility: a cuisine that was unconventional yet grounded, shaped by its terroir and imbued with generosity. Since that pivotal day when his strawberry and rhubarb tartine appeared on the menu, Sébastien, at the helm alone since 2009, has continued to infuse the restaurant with his passion and compose his own unique style.
A family story
At the heart of this adventure is "Grandma Bras," Angèle, who for many years continued to make aligot, a reassuring presence for her son Michel in the kitchen. Later, Michel and Ginette established their hotel-restaurant on the Suquet hill and transformed it into a renowned gastronomic destination. Finally, Sébastien and Véronique, who now run the establishment where they also live, have left their mark on this plateau so dear to their hearts, as the magic of the place still works its charm.
The tribute as a legacy
Without any desire to deny the past, but rather with immense respect for this family repertoire that he constantly evolves, Sébastien reinvents recipes that have become legendary, such as the 1981 chocolate fondant.
It was conceived by Michel, who managed to capture the comfort of hot chocolate after a cold day of skiing, through a warm cylindrical biscuit containing liquid chocolate ready to ooze at the first spoonful. Sébastien Bras continues to pay homage to this iconic dessert in countless ways, with exciting interpretations featuring caramel, coffee, fruits like apricot, blueberry, fig, or even asparagus… As for the Gargouillou of young vegetables, an initiatory dish, a veritable explosion of flavors and colors that brings together more than 60 shoots, seeds, and flowers… Sébastien always gives it pride of place, offering new versions like this playful Gargouillou of raw summer vegetables.