i. Biography
After the death of his father in January 2005, the work at Aux Terrasses moved into a new hand without leaving its inheritance behind. Since 2005, Jean-Michel Carrette has been chef and owner of the house, using a modern, creative and sustainable register tied to territory, family memory and the daily discipline of ingredients arriving from nearby producers.
Training and Lineage
Hotel school in Poligny supplied the formal base: discipline, exactness and technical control before personal expression. Jean-Michel Carrette trained there, and that foundation remains legible in a cuisine built around precision rather than display. Succession in a family restaurant is both practical and cultural. In January 2005, after the death of his father, Carrette took over Aux Terrasses and has held the role of chef and owner from 2005 to the present. The task was to keep a family table intact while moving the cooking into a contemporary register.
Current Practice
Modern, creative and sustainable cooking at Aux Terrasses in Tournus, France, is organized around season, supply and proximity. Jean-Michel Carrette has held the role of chef and owner from 2005 to the present, working with a farm-to-table sensibility rather than a fixed repertoire. Local inheritance is treated as material, not decoration. The cooking is instinctive and creative, while paying tribute to dishes passed from father to son and staying anchored in the search for the best ingredients. Carrette states the working principle plainly: “J'aime utiliser les produits de mon territoire.” The supply chain is part of the craft structure. Organic market gardeners, breeders, poultry farmers, freshwater fishers and ceramicists form a faithful network around Aux Terrasses, shaping the pantry, the tableware and the timing of service. The menu changes because the inputs change. Menus confiance in six or nine services carry that method table by table. “Ma cuisine se dévoile sur des "menus confiance" en 6 ou 9 services, le menu change à toutes les tables en fonction des arrivages, des produits de saison et des envies des clients.” The format lets arrivals, seasonal products and the wishes of each table determine the meal. A short à la carte keeps a second route open for guests who prefer less risk, while preserving classics of grande cuisine française in memory of his father. “Nous avons aussi une carte courte, pour les clients moins "aventuriers", et quelques classiques de grand cuisine française, en mémoire de mon père (pâté en croûte, volaille de Bresse aux morilles...).” Pâté en croûte and volaille de Bresse aux morilles remain on that line of continuity. Other dishes have been documented in the press: Arctic char, two possibilities, featured in Le Monde Magazine in June 2022; and pike-perch with red meat ravioli, shiso and pochouse sauce, featured in Fou de cuisine in March 2023.
Signature
Signature dishes include Pike-perch and Arctic char.
Honors
Jean-Michel's honors include MICHELIN Guide — one star for Aux Terrasses (1999) and Gault&Millau — third toque for Aux Terrasses.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Jean-Michel
What is Jean-Michel Carrette's present role?
Jean-Michel Carrette is chef at Aux Terrasses — Modern Cuisine.
Where did Jean-Michel Carrette train or study?
Jean-Michel Carrette trained at Hotel school in Poligny.
What recognition has Jean-Michel Carrette received?
MICHELIN Guide — one star for Aux Terrasses (1999).
