i. Biography
At Villa Florentine in Lyon, the kitchen voice was set by movement, repetition, and control when David Delsart became chef in 2015. The line from apprenticeship to leadership runs through houses where timing mattered, and where a cook’s standing was earned in service, not announced in advance.
The Path
Apprenticeship at Au repos de la Montagne in Limeil-Brevannes, France (1994–1997) gave David Delsart the basic operating grammar of the profession: how a kitchen runs, how work is ordered, and how routine becomes skill. That foundation continued as apprenti en bac professionnel at Les Elysées du Vernet in Paris, France (1997–1999), where the capital’s pace and standards tightened the requirements around technique. A first move abroad followed at La P’tite Table in Alberta, Canada (1999–2000), where he worked as Chef de Partie cuisine. The change of country mattered less as an adventure than as a test of adaptation. Back in Paris, he continued as Demi-Chef de Partie cuisine at Hôtel Four Seasons Georges V in Paris, France (2000–2002), adding consistency and discipline through daily repetition. The next steps were measured and cumulative. He served as Chef de Partie cuisine at La Rotonde, Casino Le Lyon Vert in La Tour de Salvagny, France (2002–2003), then as Chef de Partie cuisine at Hôtel Le Meurice in Paris, France (2003–2004). In 2004, he joined Les Terrasses de Lyon, Hôtel Villa Florentine in Lyon, France (2004–2015) as chef adjoint de cuisine, beginning a long run at the property. That decade established the working rhythm he would later lead: precision, continuity, and a kitchen language built through daily execution. Since 2015, he has served as chef at Les Terrasses de Lyon, Hôtel Villa Florentine in Lyon, France (2015–2026), with a style shaped by the same principles that carried him through each stage before it: clarity in the plate, discipline in the pass, and respect for the product.
The Work Today
At Les Terrasses de Lyon, his approach puts technique in support of taste. The cooking is meant to stay legible, with nothing added for effect if it does not serve the plate. That keeps the line between precision and restraint clear, and gives the food a directness that reads as simple without being careless. Delsart puts it plainly: "At Les Terrasses de Lyon, we make cuisine where technique serves taste. Simple and generous."
In Their Words “At Les Terrasses de Lyon, we make cuisine where technique serves taste. Simple and generous.”
Acclaim
David's honors include Chefs en Or.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of David
Where did David Delsart work before?
David Delsart's earlier career included Au repos de la Montagne, Les Elysées du Vernet, and La P’tite Table.
What recognition has David Delsart received?
Chefs en Or (2014).
