Laurent Petit is one of France’s most distinctive chefs, holder of three Michelin stars at Le Clos des Sens in the hills above Annecy. A pioneer of ‘lake and garden’ cuisine, he made the radical decision to remove meat from his menus entirely, building his three-star cooking around the vegetables, herbs and freshwater fish of his Alpine surroundings.
With the philosophy that ‘nature is my co-chef’, Petit champions hyper-local, sustainable cooking that earned Le Clos des Sens both three Michelin stars and a Green Star.
TL;DR
- French chef with three Michelin stars at Le Clos des Sens
- Located in the hills above Annecy, overlooking the lake
- First star 2000, second 2007, third in January 2019
- Removed meat from the menu, focusing on vegetables and lake fish
- Also holds a Michelin Green Star for sustainability
Laurent Petit key facts
| Nationality | French |
| Restaurant | Le Clos des Sens, Annecy (3 Michelin stars) |
| Third star | January 2019 |
| Philosophy | ‘Nature is my co-chef’ |
| Known for | Vegetable and lake cuisine |
Le Clos des Sens
Le Clos des Sens sits in the hills above Annecy, with views over the lake of the same name. Under Laurent Petit it earned its first Michelin star in 2000, a second in 2007 and, in January 2019, a third – the culmination of a bold reinvention of the restaurant around the produce of its Alpine surroundings.
A vegetable and lake cuisine
Petit made the radical choice to remove meat from his menu altogether, focusing instead on vegetables, herbs and the fish of the lakes. His ingredients are hyper-local: perch and fera from Lake Annecy, Reblochon from the dairies of Thones, and herbs foraged in the nearby forests. He describes himself as a ‘chef botanist’, and his philosophy is simple: ‘nature is my co-chef’.
Sustainability at the summit
Le Clos des Sens holds not only three Michelin stars but also a Green Star for sustainability, top Gault Millau ratings and Ecotable certification, and is a five-star Relais et Chateaux hotel. Petit’s assumed, deliberate choices – no meat, only local and selected products – have made him a leading figure in sustainable fine dining.
Signature style
Petit’s style is clear, precise and rooted in place. By building his cooking around vegetables and freshwater fish rather than luxury proteins, he creates a cuisine of great purity and lightness that expresses the Alpine landscape. It is ‘simple and clear’ cooking in his words, yet technically accomplished enough to earn three stars.
Laurent Petit in context
Petit is one of France’s leading Alpine three-star chefs featured on Pickup Table 4, alongside Emmanuel Renaut and fellow Annecy chef Jean Sulpice.
Follow Laurent Petit
Le Clos des Sens – official site
Laurent Petit FAQ
Who is Laurent Petit?
A French chef with three Michelin stars at Le Clos des Sens near Annecy.
How many Michelin stars does he have?
Three, plus a Green Star for sustainability.
What is he known for?
Vegetable and lake cuisine – he removed meat from the menu.
Where is the restaurant?
In the hills above Annecy, overlooking the lake.
What is his philosophy?
‘Nature is my co-chef’ – hyper-local, sustainable cooking.
