i. Biography
From the Beaujolais region to Annecy, France, Stéphane Dattrino’s path runs through produce, discipline and a long apprenticeship in proximity to one of the area’s defining kitchens. After about seven years as second-in-command to Chef Laurent Petit at Le Clos des Sens in Annecy-le-Vieux, he arrived at L’Esquisse as head chef and executive chef, where modern cuisine became his language and 2016 brought a Michelin star.
Beginnings
The Beaujolais region forms part of Stéphane Dattrino’s story before the route turns east toward the lakes and mountains around Annecy. A major formative chapter came at Le Clos des Sens in Annecy-le-Vieux, France, where he worked for about seven years as second-in-command to Chef Laurent Petit. That role placed him inside a demanding kitchen structure before his own cooking would be identified with a different address in the same Alpine area.
The Rise
The move to L’Esquisse in Annecy, France, brought Dattrino into his defining role as head chef and executive chef. The restaurant earned one Michelin star in 2016, and Gault & Millau has awarded it 2 toques. What developed there is described as modern cuisine: instinctive and seasonal, shaped by fine produce from nearby and farther afield, and drawn to textures and unusual combinations. The cooking is current and classic at once, inspired by Savoie yet open to the world, using intense flavours built from citrus acidity, vegetable earthiness and aromatic herbs. That range shows clearly in the dishes associated with him. Féra from Lake Geneva is just smoked as it should be, wrapped in a spiral of celeriac like a maki, a dish described as returning to primary lake flavours. Perch fillets from Lake Geneva, sourced from Vincent Coly, are served with hazelnut butter on a mushroom carpaccio, with preserved lemon and Piedmont hazelnuts; the result has been described as warm, delicate and infinitely savoury. Confit trout with celeriac, curry and horseradish has also been noted by Michelin among dishes big on flavour. His own words give the cooking a useful edge of modesty and motion: “We do not underestimate ourselves, but we do not overestimate ourselves either. We cook the food we want to cook to please our customers.”
Today
At the Annecy restaurant, Dattrino’s seasonal cooking uses local herbs, plants and line-caught fish, aiming for precision without austerity. The phrase matters on the plate: his food can be exacting without becoming severe, refined without losing appetite. The MICHELIN Guide also lists the restaurant with one star, recognition that sits alongside the 2016 award and the Gault & Millau 2 toques. For Dattrino, continuity does not mean repetition. “We take the risk of changing. We have a loyal clientele. We have to keep renewing ourselves all the time.” That line explains the momentum of the kitchen: the Beaujolais region, years beside Laurent Petit, then an Annecy table where lake fish, herbs, citrus, roots and smoke are handled with the confidence of a chef who keeps the room in view.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Stéphane
What is Stéphane Dattrino doing now?
Stéphane Dattrino is head chef and executive chef at L’Esquisse in Annecy, France.
Where else has Stéphane Dattrino worked?
He worked for about seven years as second-in-command to Chef Laurent Petit at Le Clos des Sens in Annecy-le-Vieux, France.
Where did Stéphane Dattrino begin their career?
The approved record links his story to the Beaujolais region and identifies a major formative chapter at Le Clos des Sens in Annecy-le-Vieux, France.
