Mélanie Serre, the talent behind Elsa – Monaco’s fully organic haute cuisine eatery – has been crowned Tomorrow’s Great Chef by the renowned French restaurant guide Gault & Millau.  

At 36 years of age, Mélanie Serre is Head Chef at one of Monaco’s most innovative restaurants. She won the Gault & Millau Young Talent prize in 2020, and that of La Liste in 2022, having trained at some of the world’s most prestigious establishments, such as Eden Roc in Saint Barts, the Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo under Christophe Cussac, and the two-Michelin starred L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Etoile in Paris. Most recently, in 2020, she worked at Louis Vins in Paris, before a collaboration with Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) enticed her back to Monaco. 

Now she has been given the accolade of Grande de Demain – or “Tomorrow’s Great Chef” – by Gault & Millau.  

In an interview with Monaco Life earlier this year, the Ardèche native spoke of her transition to a 100% organic kitchen, the signature attribute of SBM’s Elsa, which is located in the Monte-Carlo Beach purlieu. 

“It is something that we have to do for our future, but it is a real challenge, the taste of everything is so different. I have had to adjust all the recipes I wrote in Paris,” she revealed. “It is also very difficult to find all-organic produce, so I have had to make my own products like spices, etc. I never imagined that I would be doing this one day, but I am glad that I did. In Paris, it is much more difficult to cook organically, so this is a real opportunity for me.” 

Speaking of Serre’s appointment to Elsa, Monte-Carlo Beach’s General Director Danièle Garcelon said, “I am happy to have a young woman amongst stars like Alain Ducasse, Yannick Alléno and Marcel Ravin. I like her savoir-faire and her experience, and I am sure she will meet our client’s high expectations.”

Photo source: Société des Bains de Mer