For chef Mickaël Pihours, it has always been about flavors.
“My childhood dream was to have my own restaurant and a star in the MICHELIN Guide. Thanks to my grandmother, who passed away, the taste of things, the native of Angers has taste buds that are trembling with curiosity.”
An apprenticeship in Saint-Mathurin-sur-Loire and then training at the CFA of Angers led the young aspiring chef down the path of gastronomic tables. At 18, he moved to London for four years. “First in Waterloo, in a French gourmet restaurant, and then at the Four Seasons Hotel, where we cooked for 50 people. I really enjoyed these human experiences.”
Back in France, chef Mickaël Pihours took his first position at Choiseul de Pascal Bouvier in Amboise. “His creative and two-star cuisine taught me a lot during five years. I also learned how to lead a brigade. But it was with Laurent Saudeau at Manoir de la Boulaie where the young chef truly blossomed. ‘From my first year, we earned the second star.’ He was very tough on me, but his perfectionism allowed me to fully master my cooking.”
Next, he served as the chef at Le Gambetta restaurant in Saumur from August 2006 to December 2022, a period of 16 years and 5 months. At Gambetta, the chef stood out with his Saumur dish and continued to refine his cuisine, which combines sharing with the pleasure of the eyes.
In January 2024, Mickaël Pihours became the owner-chef of La Table By Mi-K’L, a childhood dream that has come true for the past 7 months. The talented chef Mickaël Pihours launches the gastronomic mode with Drive By Mi-K’L. A fervent advocate of his region, Mickaël Pihours at La Table By Mi-K’L offers fresh products from his local suppliers.
