Ambroisie

The story

Ambroisie: Michelin-Starred Modern Cuisine in Saint-Didier-de-la-Tour, France

A Family Home on the Lake

On the shores of Lake Saint-Félix, in the village of Saint-Didier-de-la-Tour, the Ambroisie restaurant is a haven of calm. It is the home of Angélique and André Taormina, who have been welcoming guests here for nearly twenty years. The couple, both from the Var region of Provence, met in a Michelin-starred kitchen and have built a restaurant that feels both personal and generous. Angélique, a passionate sommelier, orchestrates the dining room with natural warmth, while André, the chef, works the stoves.

The setting is deliberately serene. Large bay windows open onto the lake and the surrounding oaks, chestnuts, and acacias. The interior uses raw wood and clean table settings, designed to let the landscape and the food speak. This is a place for a break from the everyday.

The Chef’s Free and Daring Cuisine

André Taormina describes himself as a "moderate free electron." His technique was forged in the kitchens of the South of France, including under chefs like Clément Bruno, before he and Angélique moved to Isère in 2004. His cuisine is rooted in Mediterranean memories but open to everything the region offers.

His cooking is guided by the product and by a desire to create emotion. The Michelin Guide has recognized this balanced, high-quality cooking with a star, a distinction he has held for nearly two decades. The result is a modern cuisine that is free, sincere, and generous, with a touch of surprise. He builds dishes around trusted suppliers, revisiting local specialties with precision and creativity.

The Menus and the Signature

The Experience Menu is the chef’s free-form invitation: a sequence of six or eight services where he expresses himself without constraint, guided by the market. A house specialty is the Seasonal Truffle Menu, offered year-round—a tribute to his mentor and a deeply flavorful journey featuring dishes like scrambled eggs with grated truffles and pigeon served in a crust with foie gras and truffles.

Angélique’s wine list, awarded the Michelin Guide’s Red Cluster, is a living document. It favors independent winemakers and the crus of the Rhône Valley and Burgundy, chosen to create the most beautiful pairings with André’s dishes.