Fanny Rey is one of the most celebrated female chefs in France, the chef of L’Auberge de Saint-Remy-de-Provence, which she runs with her partner, the pastry chef Jonathan Wahid. A Top Chef finalist in 2011, she took over a village inn in the heart of Provence in 2012 and built it into a two-Michelin-star restaurant, becoming one of the very few women in France to hold that distinction.
Her cooking is deeply rooted in Provence and its produce – vegetables, herbs, olive oil and the seasons of the Alpilles – and pairs classical technique with a light, ingredient-led sensibility.
TL;DR
- French chef, born and raised in Burgundy; began cooking school at fifteen in the Jura
- Finalist on Top Chef France (season 2, 2011)
- Took over and reopened L’Auberge de Saint-Remy-de-Provence in 2012 with pastry chef Jonathan Wahid
- Earned a first Michelin star in 2017 and was named Female Chef of the Year
- Awarded a second Michelin star in March 2025 – one of very few female two-star chefs in France
Fanny Rey key facts
| Born | Burgundy (Bourgogne), France |
| Nationality | French |
| Restaurant | L’Auberge de Saint-Remy-de-Provence (opened 2012) |
| Michelin stars | Two (first 2017, second 2025) |
| Style | Provencal, vegetable- and produce-led fine dining |
| Partner | Jonathan Wahid, pastry chef |
Early life and training
Fanny Rey was born and raised in Burgundy, where she discovered cooking making crepes. At fifteen she moved to the Jura to begin a CAP at a hotel school, and started her professional career with Nicolas Le Bec at the Fermes de Marie in Megeve, in the Haute-Savoie. She went on to work at the Bastide de Marie in Menerbes, in the Vaucluse, and even spent a period in the French Navy in Brest before her television breakthrough.
Top Chef and L’Auberge de Saint-Remy-de-Provence
In 2011 Rey reached the final of the second season of Top Chef on M6, which raised her national profile. In 2012 she and pastry chef Jonathan Wahid took over the former Auberge de la Reine Jeanne in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, in the Bouches-du-Rhone, renaming it L’Auberge de Saint-Remy-de-Provence. Together they turned the village inn into one of the leading restaurants in Provence.
Two Michelin stars
In 2017 the Michelin Guide awarded L’Auberge de Saint-Remy-de-Provence its first star and named Rey Female Chef of the Year – she was the first woman to receive a new star that year. In March 2025 the restaurant was awarded a second Michelin star, making Fanny Rey one of the very small group of women in France to hold two stars, and confirming her place among the country’s leading chefs.
Signature style
Rey’s cooking is a celebration of Provence: vegetables, herbs, olive oil and seasonal produce from the Alpilles, handled with precise classical technique and a light touch. The partnership with pastry chef Jonathan Wahid gives the restaurant an unusually strong sweet dimension, and the couple’s shared, produce-driven vision defines the identity of the Auberge.
Awards and recognition
- Finalist, Top Chef France (season 2), 2011
- First Michelin star and Michelin Female Chef of the Year, 2017
- Second Michelin star, March 2025
- One of very few female chefs in France holding two Michelin stars
Fanny Rey in context
Rey stands among the leading women in French fine dining, in the same conversation as Anne-Sophie Pic and Helene Darroze, while her produce-led, regional approach echoes that of pastry star Nina Metayer and other chefs rooted in a specific French terroir.
Follow Fanny Rey
L’Auberge de Saint-Remy-de-Provence – official site
Fanny Rey FAQ
Where is Fanny Rey’s restaurant?
L’Auberge de Saint-Remy-de-Provence, in the town of Saint-Remy-de-Provence in the Bouches-du-Rhone, in Provence.
How many Michelin stars does she have?
Two – a first star in 2017 and a second in March 2025.
Where is Fanny Rey from?
She was born and raised in Burgundy and trained from the age of fifteen in the Jura before working in Haute-Savoie and Provence.
Was Fanny Rey on television?
Yes – she reached the final of the second season of Top Chef on M6 in 2011.
Who does she run the restaurant with?
Her partner, the pastry chef Jonathan Wahid, with whom she took over the inn in 2012.
