La Fenière

What’s It Like to Stage in a Michelin-Starred Restaurant in France | Eater

"A one-Michelin-starred Provençal restaurant opened in 1975 by Reine Sammut, rooted in Luberon produce (much harvested from its own garden) and a restrained, olive-oil-forward approach; the entire operation has been adapted to avoid gluten because Sammut’s daughter is celiac. The kitchen remains traditionally hierarchical and often understaffed, relying on young seasonal trainees; the author’s stagiaire experience—hours of repetitive prep work, mastering the tedious task of cleaning hundreds of squid, and witnessing the head chef’s sharp temper—illustrates both the satisfaction of precise craft and the punishing grind behind the restaurant’s long-held star." - Samuel Ashworth