RestaurantCognac · Chef interview
Charly Marc, pastry chef at Hôtel Chais Monnet & Spa in Cognac
A Breton pastry chef talks low-sugar desserts, herb sorbets and the Yule log he is preparing for the Cognac hotel.
Charly Marc learned to bake as a child, helping the nanny who looked after him while his parents worked. Today he is chef pâtissier at Hôtel Chais Monnet & Spa in Cognac, after spells in the kitchens of Guy Savoy at the Monnaie de Paris, Cheval Blanc Courchevel and L'Alpaga in Megève. In this interview with Supper, he explains what shapes his desserts.
He calls his style gourmet and modern, with less sugar, local and seasonal produce, and plenty drawn from childhood memories. At the hotel, he wants pastry to sit comfortably alongside the rest of the menu and send guests off on a high note. The detail worth noticing is his strawberry dessert, served with a sorbet of four herbs (verbena, mint, lemon thyme and rosemary) to freshen the palate. He prefers dealing directly with producers and keeping to harvest seasons.
He credits Matthieu Carlin of Hôtel de Crillon and Desty Brami of Château de Ferrières as formative bosses, and admires Cédric Grolet and Benoit Chavret. His current project is a Yule log to be unveiled at Chais Monnet, which he describes as complex but motivating.
The piece gives no dates or prices, so if you are planning a winter visit to Cognac, ask the hotel when the Yule log appears and where the desserts are served.
Our summary of a story from Supper, published 23 October 2026. Read the original
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From Supper