This is the latest in a series of regular blogs by executive chef of BaxterStorey and winner of the National Chef of the Year 2013, Hayden Groves - The Kings of Lyon – Part one.
Back in October I stood on stage as one of eight nervous chefs at the Restaurant Show awaiting the outcome of our fate. Before it was announced that I had won The National Chef of the Year 2013, host Will Torrent rattled off an impressive list of fantastic prizes from equipment and cutlery to study trips.
Now I don't want to sound ungrateful however it was the title that I craved the most.
Clasping that framed plate and medal as it was handed to me by Phil Howard felt almost as precious as being given a new born to hold. Two hours later at the evening celebration event at Harrods, many photos were taken, new people were introduced and congratulations exchanged.
It was around this time that I was introduced to Bruno the export manager from Revol, "you’re going to love it, Regis Marcon is a great guy” I nodded politely. Winning still hadn't sunk in so eating in France several months away was not even on my radar and slightly embarrassingly I hadn’t heard of Regis Marcon. Four months later, I had just returned from the first of 2 study trips, a fantastic couple of days in Norway and in my inbox was the agenda for the Lyon study trip from Ian Parsons on behalf of the sponsor Lockhart's. This was the fourth year that they had run the trip so it was well rehearsed and looked a great itinerary.
With a mid May date planned, I ensured I did my homework this time round, thank goodness for
Google! I established that “Régis & Jacques Marcon" is a three Michelin starred restaurant on top of a 1100m mountain, located in the village of Saint Bonnet Le Froid in the Auvergne Region. There is a population of 222 (with Wiki’s help) of which I would imagine the majority of these would be associated in one way or another with the restaurant. The restaurant is closed during the winter months because of the height and as the name of the village suggests - its bloody COLD! 
Regis was not just a celebrated chef, he had also won the much coveted Bocuse d'or in 1995 and loves using local wild mushrooms in his cooking even in the dessert! In fact so prolific is the area for mushrooms that they have a famous festival dedicated to the fungi in November. The restaurant website looked amazing and I was beginning to feel a little disappointed that I hadn’t been more enthusiastic when Bruno was explaining this to me on the night of the competition.
He had been waxing lyrical about his friend Regis with whom he had grown up with and had built this stunning restaurant on top of a hill, the only three star with a snow plough apparently. At 6.30am we met for that essential first coffee of the day at Heathrow T3. The party consisted of Ian, Paul Brown, NCOTY organisers- David Mulcahy, Clair Bowman, Steve Munkley and his wife Michelle.
My NCOTY Wingman Peter Ley completed the group. Bruno as promised was on the other side waiting at Lyon airport. An hours journey to our first stop, Tain L’Hermitage, a pretty small town
at the foot of a hill. Not just any hill because at the peak there stands a small chapel “La Chappelle” no less! Across the square was our first rendez-vous, the Vineum of Paul Jaboulet Aîné, a top end wine producer. A collective ‘bonjour’ was issued and a chance for me to use some of my fluent ‘franglaise’. A tray of wine glasses was placed on a barrel.
A white Condrieu voigner as an aperitif was lovingly poured and a round of warm gougeres passed around. It was barely midday in France, I had been on the road from 4.30am with nothing more than a sad mid-flight BA plastic-wrapped croissant and the aforementioned coffee so the fine wine and small cheesy puff went down very well, a little too well maybe. A simple three-course lunch followed with another couple of sips of a very tasty Saint Joseph.
Bruno explained that afternoon we were going to visit ‘La Chappelle’ on the hill in the famous vineyards. The sun was shining and we were about to enjoy a wine tasting overlooking the Rhone valley, life could not have been better! “Bruno, we are being treated like the Kings of Lyon” I joked, maybe it was just the wine, but everyone agreed. Check out Part 2 to follow for the rest of the story and restaurant Regis Marcon.
Hayden Groves is the current Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year, having won last year’s competition at the Restaurant Show in October. He is the executive chef at contract caterers BaxterStorey previously having worked as the executive chef for Lloyds of London. Hayden Groves joins a long line of great chefs to have won the prestigious award including Gordon Ramsay, David Everitt-Matthias, Simon Hulstone, Mark Sargeant, Steve Love, Alyn Williams and many more. You can follow Hayden on Twitter @Hayden1974
