Mathias Dandine, Michelin-starred Chef in Provence
Mathias Dandine is a local boy. He loves its sunshine and knows its landscapes, its warm colours and deep scents; he adores its produce and delights in its flavours.
Steeped in this terroir, the boy who became a Chef has never ceased wanting to bring it to life and share it. With those dear to him, and with the guests of the restaurants and the two houses he has created.
Cookingas a heritage
Mathias Dandine is the son and grandson of cooks.
His grandfather Émile began working in Marseille and Le Lavandou. In the 1960s, he and his wife Victoria opened La Bonne Auberge in Bormes-les-Mimosas. The family restaurant quickly became a local institution, carried by the Dandines’ spirit of conviviality and generosity.
A journeythrough Provence
Introduced to the craft by his grandmother Victoria and his father Max in the kitchens of L’Escoundudo, Mathias continued his journey in prestigious establishments, flagbearers of Provençal gastronomy.
La Tonnelle des Délices with Gui Gedda, Les Roches in Aiguebelle under Laurent Tarridec, L’Oasis alongside Louis Outhier and Stéphane Raimbault, La Bastide Saint-Antoine with Jacques Chibois, and Restaurant Bruno in Lorgues with Bruno Clément.
A new chapter began at La Baie Dorée, on the Cap d’Antibes, where he took charge as chef for the first time. His attachment to the family restaurant remained intact.
And, as if it were meant to be, he took over L’Escoundudo with his brother Fabien, a maître d’hôtel trained in the Alain Ducasse group. Together, in 2004, they earned a Michelin star.
“On the day the star was announced, I thought above all of my parents. It is thanks to them that I found the calling to build something of my own, a story around cooking and the Provençal art of living.”
At La Magdeleinelike coming home
Mathias pursued his dream. In 2013, he settled at the foot of the Sainte-Baume, in Le Tholonet, where he earned another star.
In 2019, the La Magdeleine project brought him to Gémenos, where he has cultivated the gentle Provençal way of life every day since.
Finally, in 2023, La Bastide Bourrelly opened its doors in the hamlet of Calas, in Cabriès: “By turning the house into a 5-star hotel with a 1-Michelin-star gourmet restaurant, we are continuing the story of an institution that has embodied a true tradition of hospitality for two centuries.”
Soaking up the unique atmosphere of Provence, living to the rhythm of an emblematic village, savouring the authentic art of living, taking time to enjoy every moment. Here too, Mathias Dandine brings together conviviality, a change of scene and escape.
So many discreet, unspoilt villages that become the setting for Mathias Dandine’s passion. Today, like a conductor, he breathes the Provençal soul into each of these places.
“A place of life and memories. For generations, Provençal families have gathered here to celebrate weddings, christenings, communions and moments of sharing that stand the test of time.”
Houses in Provencethat reflect him
As a couple, with family or surrounded by friends, guests come to take their time, to rest, to enjoy the pleasure of a welcoming house and to discover the charm of Provence.
Deeply rooted and nourished by sincere hospitality, Mathias Dandine’s family houses celebrate the Provençal art of living, made of small attentions and of those simple, authentic joys that make life more beautiful.
“Feeling expected and welcomed, just like at home.”
A tablethat brings people together
It is in this spirit of conviviality and transmission that Mathias Dandine imagines his cuisine and the places that host it.
A cuisine rooted in its terroir, generous, authentic and sincere, inspired by the seasons, local producers and the kitchen garden. Small or large tables laid with care, honouring the guests and inviting them to linger.
Day after day, the Michelin-starred chef passionately pursues the work begun by his grandparents and parents: making every meal a moment of sharing and passing on, through his cuisine, all the richness of Provence.
“Hospitality that is sincere and unpretentious.”
Discover our second house
