L'Alchimy
"Our mother likes to recall that we were born on the day they discovered the Ephebe of Agde, a Greek bronze statue, a reminder of the time when the city, founded by Greek colonists in the fifth century B.C., was called 'good luck.'" That took place on September 13, 1964. It was in that sun-filled landscape, between Agde and Pézenas, that the twins grew up, preferring pastry-making to playing in the streets with the neighbourhood children. Then their mother took ill and they assumed the kitchen duties - no longer just for fun, but with a desire to make the family happy from the first course to the last. Thus began, for these two gourmands, a love of four-handed cooking.

Later the twins would be separated, a wrenching experience, when Laurent enrolled in hotel school in Montpellier, while Jacques stayed home. A year later, Jacques too went to the school. Later each went his separate way to do an apprenticeship, both knowing they would meet up again. They had set off in the same direction, confident that one day they would work together.

Jacques, after leaving the hotel school in 1982, worked with Jean-Claude Fabre in Florensac before joining Michel Trama's team in Puymerol. Later he would go to work with Marc Meneau in Vézelay, finally becoming pastry chef for Pierre Gagnaire at Saint-Étienne.

Laurent went to work with Michel Bras at Laguiole, interrupted by a stint with Alain Chapel at Mionnay.

It was while working with Michel Trama that Jacques met Olivier Château. A year later, Château joined Michel Bras' team and met Laurent. Thus the Jardin des Sens team was formed.

In the kitchen Jacques oversees fish and desserts, Laurent first courses and meats. Olivier Château runs the dining room with great grace and spontaneity, while also acting as sommelier.