Gaëtan Evrard's lucky star Restaurant L'Evidence

L’Evidence is one of Touraine’s finest restaurants. As proof, this restaurant in Montbazon has been awarded a Michelin star since 2019. And its Chef, Gaëtan Evrard, has an overflowing creativity, which he doubles with a formidable culinary technicality.

Cooking by instinct

Gaëtan Evrard is not the kind of chef to propose a menu featuring his signature dishes and standards throughout the year… On the contrary, he lives his cuisine and works with the seasons – or rather the present moment, I should say, when produce is at its peak – according to his meetings with producers, choosing top-quality ingredients… and according to the mood of the moment!

The result is that in his restaurant L’Evidence, there is no longer a ‘real’ menu, just ‘white’ menus! You can choose from a 5-course Inspiration menu, a 7-course Elegance menu, or an 8-course Signature menu… At lunchtime on weekdays, there’s also a 3-course Retour du Marché menu. The dishes on the menu are quite enigmatic. For example, the Inspiration du moment menu includes: Hommage à mes Grands-Parents, Le Printemps, Interlude, Les Embruns, Apis and Alexandre Calder! In other words, once you’ve declared your intolerances, you’ll have to trust the Chef. But believe me, you can do it with your eyes closed…

Gourmet getaway in Touraine

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An explosion of flavours and a real show on the plate

Each dish, however ephemeral, is prepared with absolute mastery: a sometimes daring and surprising combination of products, and a subtle blend of flavours; precision of cooking; sauces, juices or condiments of great finesse; impeccable presentation… As I write these lines, peas are the star of Chef Gaëtan Evrard’s new creation, ‘le Printemps’, served as a starter on his various menus. Crunchy and sweet, these little balls of spring, grown by his producer friends at Puy-Notre-Dame (Un Cheval Un Champ, in Maine-et-Loire), have inspired the chef, who accompanies them with courgette, arctic char, smoked mackerel and a floral mix. Tempting, isn’t it?

A chef in perpetual motion

For those who know him, Gaëtan Evrard is a very likeable character. He‘ s full of ideas and knows how to do everything. In the photo opposite, he’s bringing a casserole dish containing superbly prepared Racan poultry, a pure product of Touraine. But his mind is always on the alert, ready to come up with a dish that has never been prepared elsewhere… If he wants to break the mould, this summer he’s planning to serve up some very, very tasty picnics, to be enjoyed on the banks of the nearby Indre (on a blanket that he’ll have provided for you), and packaged in ‘Bentos’, those Japanese tiered boxes. So, is Gaëtan Evrard a sensible chef? Yes, absolutely, and completely in tune with the times: in search of short circuits, he works with many local producers, and has even started to create his own products: his beer, his wine, his honey… He is also planning to create a 100% Val de l’Indre menu, with supplies coming from within a 10 km radius of his restaurant.

From fork to pen

A gourmet and a gourmand, Hubert Giblet is involved in the Val de Loire Terres de Gastronomie association, which organises the Automnales de la Gastronomie festival, as well as gourmet walks once a month. As part of the Azay-Chinon Tourist Office, he is also responsible for events organised under the Vignobles & Découvertes label.