Franco Bowanee

Coming Up

Seafood sits close to the center of Franco Bowanee’s cooking at Le Valucien - Château de Vault-de-Lugny. Born in Mauritius in 1980, he brings an island-trained sense of timing and tide to the kitchen, and he says it plainly: “My Mauritian side leads me to work with what comes from the sea: shellfish, fish, crustaceans, octopus.” In practice, that points to a style built on freshness, texture, and the discipline of working with ingredients that carry the coast in them. Career structure matters here. Franco Bowanee worked first as chef at Hotel Labourdonnais in Port-Louis, Île Maurice, then as chef at an hotel in Washington, United States (2006–2008). Those years moved him from island service to an international kitchen pace, and they form the practical base for his current role as chef of restaurant du château de Vault-le-Lugny.

Where They Are Now

At Le Valucien - Château de Vault-de-Lugny, the setting is not separate from the cooking; it frames it. In a house like this, the standard is precision, and the room around the plate carries as much weight as the plate itself.

Signature

Mauritian Roasted Egg shows how Franco Bowanee translates identity into a dish without losing the hand of the kitchen. The signature is rooted in Mauritius, but it belongs to the restaurant as well: direct, composed, and shaped by the same attention to detail that runs through his wider work.

In Their Words “My Mauritian side leads me to work with what comes from the sea: shellfish, fish, crustaceans, octopus.”

Honors

Franco Bowanee's honors include MICHELIN Guide, one star (2019).