Julien Vandromme

 What is your story, your genesis?
I am a lawyer from Champagne, born and raised in the region.

What craftsmanship was passed down to you?
No particular skill, but great curiosity and a genuine desire for freedom.

What value do you try to pass on in turn? Certainly good humor, which for me is the foundation of elegance and the ability to live well with others. I'd like to be in a good mood all the time, and those who manage it command my admiration!

What would you have liked to be able to do with your hands? Woodworking. Woodworking in general. I haven't given up on learning. I'd love to help make oak casks for Maison Louis Roque!

What is most French about you? On the positive side, a taste for critical thinking. Otherwise, a taste for irreverence.

What is your greatest adventure? Probably taking a long journey through Africa in a very old Range Rover when I was a young lawyer. With an old friend, we left from Place du Forum in Reims and arrived, a few weeks later, on the banks of the Niger River in the heart of Bamako…

What is your favorite bistro or iconic restaurant? I don't know if it's already an institution, but as for restaurants, I have very fond memories of ‹La Grenouillère› by Alexandre Gauthier, located in La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil near Le Touquet. I frequent many bistros, but if I had to name just one, it would certainly be ‹Les Caves Petrissans› on Avenue Niel. I'm very fond of Jean-Marie and Jean-Charles, and their family has been a patron of Maison Louis Roque for over a hundred years.

Which icon do you think best represents France? Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who combines courage with talent and seriousness with poetry.

What is your mantra or a motto that guides your life? Love, humor, and tolerance. It's a motto that comes  from my father, and I wish I could put it into practice more often…

Is there an object or work that best embodies France? All of Louis de Funès's films, especially ‹Le Grand Restaurant›. I even watched it again recently with a magnifying glass to see if a bottle of Vieille Prune de Souillac wasn't hidden somewhere in the set…

Who would you find at your table for an ideal dinner? My associates and the Maison Louis Roque team, in the presence of Louis Roque and his daughter, Countess Dufour de Raymond, to learn more about the House's history and better understand how we can carry forward their legacy.

What would your ideal menu be (starter-main course-dessert + pairings)? An Oreiller de la Belle Aurore  with an aged rosé Champagne, sweetbreads with a red Sancerre from Domaine Vincent Pinard, and finally a magnificent tarte Tatin with whole cream, accompanied by a glass of Vieille Prune de Souillac Réserve Impériale… 

What is your best gastronomic memory? I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I really loved the Wladimir at ‹Maison Dauvergne› in Reims. Unfortunately, it closed a long time ago, so I'll never be able to pair it with La Vieille Prune.

What does La Vieille Prune de Souillac evoke for you? A collective treasure born from the creative genius of one man. But above all, a bridge between the France of haute cuisine and that of bistros.