Le Lucé at Hotel Château du Grand-Lucé is an inspired collaboration between the Hotel Château team and the notable Executive Chef Maxime Thomas. With a profound reverence for the history of the Château and the largess of the Loire Valley region, Chef Thomas has executed with alacrity his vision of an elevated farm-to-table experience, preparing stunning, decidedly French dishes with a focus on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.
Maxime Thomas grew up in Normandy and began his career close to home. He continued his training throughout other regions in France and then took his enviable talents abroad to London, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand. Maxime studied under the legendary chef Arnaud Poette at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes where he reveled in the abundant fresh catch of the Mediterranean and the summer harvests of the French Riviera. In Lausanne Switzerland, Maxime worked with the celebrated Anne-Sophie Pic in the restaurant that bears her name at the Beau-Rivage Palace Hotel. At the prestigious Cape Kidnappers lodge in New Zealand, Chef Thomas advanced his dedication to understanding the nuanced flavors and seasonality of locally grown and sourced ingredients by working closely with the gardening team at the Lodges’ own farm.
Chef Thomas’ vision for Le Lucé is an alchemy of using the freshest organic ingredients, prepared in a way that is most easily described as quintessentially French with a seemingly modern touch. Chef Thomas’ dishes illustrate his respect for the region, celebrating and highlighting the nuances of each season. Under his careful direction, the potager garden, located within the walls of the eighty-acre enclave of the Château, provide most of the produce for Le Lucé’s cuisine. Chef Thomas, naturally, appreciates the importance of a well-paired wine, and works closely with the sommelier to find the perfect French wine to accompany each of his inventive dishes.