Chef
Gilles Goujon
Chef, L'Auberge du Vieux Puits
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Fontjoncouse, France
Known for
- 3 Michelin stars at L'Auberge du Vieux Puits
- Signature dish: œuf poule «Carrus» pourri de truffe noire
- Tripadvisor 'best gourmet restaurant in the world' 2020
i. Biography
Chef Patron work at Auberge du Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse, France, is built on a long sequence of station discipline rather than a sudden break. Gilles Goujon, born on 10 December 1961 and French, passed through apprenticeship with La Compagnie du Midi, commis work at Le Ragueneau, a chef de partie role at Le Moulin de Mougins, and a position as second to Jean-Paul Passédat at Le Petit Nice. In 1992, the craft moved into ownership when he took over a bankrupt inn in Fontjoncouse. That address became L'Auberge du Vieux Puits, the restaurant where the Michelin Guide awarded three stars.
The Climb
Apprenticeship in a working kitchen sets the first terms: repetition, precision, endurance, and the ability to keep standards under pressure. Gilles Goujon’s foundation came at Chemins de fer du Midi in Gare de Béziers (1977–1981), before assistant chef work at Ragueneau in Béziers (1981–1983) put those habits into service conditions: heat, timing, station order, and the need for technique to become reliable rather than merely correct. Fish work requires a different kind of control: restraint with delicate product, clean timing, and definition without excess. At Moulin de Mougins (1983–1987), Gilles Goujon served as assistant chef and took responsibility for the fish department. Sous chef work then widened the frame at Le Petit Nice in Marseille (1987–1989), where he worked as second to Jean-Paul Passédat, before L'Escale in Carry-le-Rouet (1989–1992). Restaurant ownership tests whether technique can hold over years, teams, suppliers, and place. In 1992, Goujon became the owner of L'Auberge du Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse. The restaurant became the fixed point of the work: not just an address, but the site where earlier kitchen discipline was converted into a house style through patience and rigor.
Today
The owner and Chef Patron role at the Fontjoncouse restaurant gathers the full line of training: apprenticeship, commis work, chef de partie discipline, and work as second to Jean-Paul Passédat. In Gilles Goujon’s case, L'Auberge du Vieux Puits functions as the place where that accumulated practice is held in one kitchen and made consistent over time. The cuisine is creative, based on a traditional foundation, with original recipes and carefully chosen high-quality ingredients. It highlights local products and seasonality, with a focus on vegetables, lamb, local cheeses and herbs. Tradition is not treated as a fixed display; it is used as the base structure for contrast, texture, clarity, and the handling of familiar ingredients. The plate language favors strong flavors, clear contrasts, refined presentations, playful-looking dishes, and frank, character-rich flavors. The effect depends on control: compositions can carry wit or visual lightness, but the cooking remains grounded in depth, seasoning, and long professional repetition.
Signature
Signature work often shows how a kitchen handles familiar materials without flattening them. Gilles's signature dishes include red mullet filet and "Bonne Bouche" potatoes stuffed with spring onions. The dish sets sea fish against the comfort and density of potato, with spring onions adding lift, while keeping the ingredients legible.
Recognition
Recognition marks the points where private kitchen standards become publicly recorded. Gilles's honors include Third Michelin star for L'Auberge du Vieux Puits (2010), Second Michelin star for L'Auberge du Vieux Puits (2001), First Michelin star for L'Auberge du Vieux Puits (1997), Meilleur Ouvrier de France (1996), Bottin Gourmand star (1997), and Best Apprentice in Languedoc-Roussillon. The sequence also shows continuity: apprentice, assistant chef, chef de partie, sous chef, then owner and Chef Patron of the Fontjoncouse restaurant built from a bankrupt inn into L'Auberge du Vieux Puits.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Gilles
What is Gilles Goujon's current role?
Gilles Goujon is Chef Patron.
Where did Gilles Goujon work before?
Earlier in their career, Gilles Goujon worked at Chemins de fer du Midi, Ragueneau, and Moulin de Mougins.
What recognition has Gilles Goujon received?
Third Michelin star for L'Auberge du Vieux Puits (2010).
