"Laurent Jury embodied for me, when I was a child, the discovery of the gastronomy when, in the 1990s, my father was inspired to propose to us to stop dinner at the Bergerie de Sarpoil, as we went up to the Livradois forests. This dinner is engraved in my memory and in my taste buds. I remember a “forest juice” of one of the dishes that reached, in a perfect balance, to recreate the olfactory and gustative fairy of the mushroom and soft forests of Auvergne, I remember the homemade breads that were all crispy and tasty to each other, from an exemplary cream to an exquisite basil, I also remember the desserts of very high voles, I remember the smiles of the chef and his wife, this warm place and the showcase of whisky, which I did not drink at my young age. Later, I continued this passion of the beautiful tables, by swiping the gargouillous of the Aubrac valley, going to the “black hats of Savoie”, to the soups of artichoke to the black truffle of another Savoy... all the wonders, stars by tens, but I remained with this so powerful memory of the Bergerie... I bought Laurent Jury’s book in the early 2000s, I made a lot of recipes from this book. I became an amateur cook and a wine enthusiast. For example, I tested foie gras recipes with various cooking modes, sometimes complicated. Well, today, I finally put anyone at the challenge of making a foie gras comparable to that of the recipe of Chef Jury’s book!!! After so many years, I was fatally apprehended the return to the sources and when I reserved for La Belle Meunière through Royat, I felt a great apprehension to the idea of being disappointed, not finding these first wonders. Laurent Jury is not referenced in the red guide, I figured there was a problem of course, a lassitude, a lack of perhaps? At the same time, I also knew all the unreasonable decisions that could be taken by this pseudo bible which, sometimes blindly and in contempt of the taste of the marvelous and yet warned guests, can subtract from the geniuses of the kitchen or more dismaying, ignore them. The demands of Michelin are not mine, I expect fairy, magic, not standardization. The presence of the inspectors of the Michelin guide is in French cuisine, what the oak shavings (added to please the American palace) are in wine!!! So I came discreetly, worried and opted for the tasting menu to give me an idea of the technical panoplia of the chef and his choice of products. Sincerely, objectively, untouched and total wonder! I found light products (e.g. omble, mushrooms) worked differently but with always as much accuracy, precision and taste! The breads are always home and simply tasty, the desserts are high-flight, including the beautiful place made with seasonal fruits, chocolate, bold and always inspired accompaniments. The plates are beautiful, graphic, successful, they fill all the senses! Laurent Jury kept his brilliant smile and charismatic presence. His kitchen really deserves a very, very big detour!!! One word: MERCI!"
