Gilles Goujon

Gilles Goujon (born 10 December 1961) is a French chef and owner of the restaurant L'Auberge du Vieux Puits (roughly "The Old Well Inn") in Fontjoncouse, Aude. His restaurant has earned three Michelin stars, the first being awarded in 2010.

Early life Goujon was born in Bourges in the department of Cher. His father was a fighter pilot, and while growing up he lived in Marrakesh in Morocco, in Germany, and in Metz. After his father's early death, the family moved to Béziers. Goujon had little taste for school and became a waiter in a restaurant, which formed his decision to become a cook.

Career In 1977, he began an apprenticeship with the railway company Chemins de fer du Midi in the former restaurant at the Gare de Béziers. He was awarded the best apprentice in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon.

In 1981, he became an assistant chef under the Rouquette brothers at Ragueneau, also in Béziers. There in 1983 he met his mentor Roger Vergé, who hired him as an assistant chef in his three-starred restaurant Moulin de Mougins. Four months later he was made responsible for the fish department. It took considerable work to fix it up and make it a pleasant restaurant.

For five years, the restaurant was virtually empty, few diners venturing out into the garrigue to visit it. Then weekenders began to arrive, and other restaurateurs suggested to Goujon that he enter the Meilleur Ouvrier de France professional competition; he did so and won the title in 1996,

The cuisine at L'Auberge du Vieux Puits focuses on local foods, featuring simple ingredients such as cabbages, tomatoes and seasonal vegetables, lamb, goat, seasonal game (boar, hare, quail, and woodcock), pork from the Bigorre black pig, pigeon, picholine olives, rosemary, basil, cod, apples, potatoes (for example the Pays de Sault variety) and figs.

Goujon and other chefs have spoken out against guests who photograph the food and post it on social media, which "spoils the surprise" and could lead to others' copying his creations.