Le Doyenné

Le Doyenné: restaurant, guesthouse, and farm in Saint-Vrain

Le Doyenné is a restaurant, guesthouse, and farm set within the historical grounds of the Château de Saint-Vrain, in the village of Saint-Vrain, 41 kilometres south of central Paris. The Château was once the country retreat of the Countess du Barry and the Borghese family, and has been the home of the Mortemart family for more than two centuries. Le Doyenné occupies the estate's former stables, where the French-American sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle and the Swiss sculptor Tinguely created their monumental works in the 70s.

Building restoration and the chefs' project

Chefs and owners James Henry and Shaun Kelly, along with the Mortemart family, restored and transformed Le Doyenné — the Mortemart family's name for the centuries-old barn — into a restaurant and guesthouse with 11 rooms. To preserve the integrity of this site classified as a "historic site", they called upon local artisans and re-imagined it as the French farmhouse of their dreams.

Regenerative agriculture and its own kitchen garden

The project began in 2017. Inspired by the maraîchers of France and by the regenerative agricultural movement, those behind it set out to grow for Le Doyenné. They planted the orchard and prepared the potager in the walled garden, the site of the estate's former historic potager, which had laid dormant for the last 60 years. They chose to eschew the modern practice of tilling in favour of gentle decomposition through the use of compost and mulch, capturing carbon and preserving microbial life. To date, hundreds of fruit trees and shrubs have been planted, as well as hundreds of varieties of heirloom vegetables and herbs under cultivation.

In 2019, whilst the restaurant was under construction, they began to work with a handful of Paris' finest chefs to bring them the best the potager had to offer. The stated mission of regenerative agriculture is to sequester carbon, grow nutritious and flavourful vegetables, and leave our environment in a healthier state than they found it.

Team

Shaun Kelly

An Australian chef with 11 years of experience. He worked in Australia before moving to Europe and working at the famous St John restaurant in London, where he deepened his knowledge of British cuisine. In 2012, he moved to Paris and worked at Saturne before joining James Henry at Au Passage, where he established a strong team and cemented the restaurant's reputation. After two years at Au Passage, he moved on to Yard, a neighbourhood bistro that he successfully repositioned, and was then appointed head chef at the Australian Embassy in Paris. He is passionate about getting back to nature and working towards a more sustainable industry, and is dedicated to cultivating heirloom vegetables, fruits, and herbs of the highest quality for Le Doyenné guests.

James Henry

Australian-born and internationally raised, his connection to food began in the family home. After exploring different career choices, he took a plunge into professional kitchens in his early twenties, spending time in Byron Bay and Sumatra before deciding to move to Melbourne to work with Andrew McConnell. Whilst most of his friends and colleagues looked to London for experience, James had his sights set on Paris, where shortly after arriving he opened and put beloved eatery Au Passage on the map, and subsequently his restaurant, Bones. The latter found fame as a raucous, good-time spot serving a hyper-seasonal fixed menu with a standing room only bar and a revolving blackboard menu. For the last five years, he has been working on the opening of this project, Le Doyenné.

Guests and dining experience

From the dining room, guests are greeted with panoramic views of the potager, the beating heart of the project, which brims with perennial vegetables, herbs, and flowers, with young and heirloom fruit trees graciously scattered throughout. The regenerative agricultural practices that have nurtured the land for generations are being revived to grow heirloom vegetables which form the foundation of the culinary offerings.

Events, press, and careers

Le Doyenné handles inquiries for hosting events at its premises. Event requests are answered Thursday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For media inquiries there is a specific contact, and for career inquiries the company states that it offers a supportive working environment that is inclusive and respectful, with a strong focus on staff well-being and professional career development; applications are sent with a CV and a letter of introduction.

Location and contact

5 rue St Antoine 91770 Saint-Vrain · Phone: +33 1 60 80 00 99 · Email: info@ledoyennerestaurant.com