Clémentine Coussau

The Climb

Clémentine Coussau trained at Lameloise before moving on to a role as chef at Relais de la Poste in Magescq, Landes, France (2022–present). That sequence points to a cook formed by structured technique and by place. Lameloise provided the grounding, while Relais de la Poste gave her a house she already knew well, and that familiarity mattered in the confidence of the work. Her progression was not a break with tradition so much as an adjustment of it: classic forms held in place, then opened to a more contemporary register, with the terroir of the region still central.

Today

Her cooking is tied to regional products, handled through both classic and contemporary elements. That pairing creates a useful tension: the clarity of tradition set against a sharper, more recent line. On influence, she has said, "I worked with him and he inspires me a lot." The line is brief, but it still points to lineage as a working fact, with proximity and exchange shaping the way she thinks about the plate. In Clémentine’s case, influence shows up less as abstraction than as structure, supporting the calm base beneath the more expressive parts of the dish.

In Their Words “I worked with him and he inspires me a lot.”

Recognition

In 2022, she selected Les émincées de grosses langoustines au caviar d'Aquitaine, marinade acidulée, petits pois, coques et salicornes, a seasonal dish built from contrast and line. The acidity, Baies de la passion pepper, and caviar from the Maison Sturia aquaculture in southern Gironde give it definition; the langoustines, petits pois, coques, and salicornes set the rhythm. The dish reads as a deliberate arrangement, with each element placed to clarify the next. The caviar from the Maison Sturia aquaculture in southern Gironde adds a final marker of refinement, while keeping the reference to locality intact. The result is cooking that stays seasonal, grounded, and exact.