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Stéphanie Le Quellec

a city street with a bunch of people walking down it
Illustration photo. A city street with a bunch of people walking down it. Photo: Marloes Hilckmann, Unsplash.

Stephanie Le Quellec is one of France’s most celebrated chefs, holder of two Michelin stars at La Scene, her own restaurant on Avenue Matignon in Paris. One of the rare women to reach two stars, she first came to public attention by winning Top Chef, and has since built a reputation for refined, produce-driven cooking at the highest level.

Combining a television profile with serious culinary credentials, Le Quellec has become one of the most admired figures of the Paris fine-dining scene, championing precision, elegance and the primacy of the ingredient.

Paris, home of Stephanie Le Quellec's two-Michelin-star restaurant La Scene
Paris, France. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA.

TL;DR

  • French chef, born 6 December 1981
  • One of the few women to hold two Michelin stars
  • Won season 2 of Top Chef France in 2011
  • Chef-owner of La Scene on Avenue Matignon, Paris
  • La Scene earned two Michelin stars in 2020

Stephanie Le Quellec key facts

Born6 December 1981, France
NationalityFrench
RestaurantLa Scene, Paris (2 Michelin stars)
BreakthroughWinner, Top Chef France 2011
Known forRefined, product-driven cuisine

From Top Chef to the top tier

Stephanie Le Quellec won season 2 of Top Chef on M6 in 2011, an experience she has credited with giving her confidence and a fresh perspective on her craft. But she was already a serious professional: in 2013 she took charge of the restaurant La Scene at the five-star Prince de Galles hotel on Avenue George V in Paris, earning her first Michelin star there in 2014.

La Scene

In October 2019 Le Quellec opened her own restaurant, also called La Scene, on Avenue Matignon in Paris. Just months later, in January 2020, it was awarded two Michelin stars – a rapid and remarkable achievement. The intimate dining room, with its open kitchen, lets guests watch her team at work, and the restaurant has become one of the most admired tables in the city.

Refined French fine-dining plating
French fine dining. Photo: cyclonebill, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA.

A rare distinction

Le Quellec is one of the few women in France to hold two Michelin stars, a distinction that has made her an important figure and role model in a profession still dominated by men. Her success has combined popular recognition, from her television appearances, with the respect of the fine-dining establishment.

Signature style

Le Quellec’s cooking is defined by precision and restraint, built on superb ingredients treated with elegance and clarity. She favours refined, legible dishes in which the produce takes centre stage, avoiding excess in favour of balance and finesse – a style that has earned her a place among the very best chefs in Paris.

Stephanie Le Quellec in context

Le Quellec is one of the leading French chefs featured on Pickup Table 4, alongside Christopher Hache and Amandine Chaignot.

Follow Stephanie Le Quellec

La Scene – official site

Stephanie Le Quellec FAQ

Who is Stephanie Le Quellec?
A French chef with two Michelin stars at her Paris restaurant La Scene.

What is La Scene?
Her own restaurant on Avenue Matignon in Paris, awarded two stars in 2020.

Did she win Top Chef?
Yes – she won season 2 of Top Chef France in 2011.

How many Michelin stars does she have?
Two.

What is her style?
Refined, precise, produce-driven French cuisine.

A lifelong food-industry professional and the writer behind Pickup Table 4 — a chef, waiter and restaurant owner who today invests in restaurants and food projects. A dedicated foodie with a deep love of chefs and culinary culture, profiling the people who shape how the world eats.