Thierry di Tullio, the living soul of Vague d’Or
Despite the mercury hovering around 40 degrees on this late July morning, Thierry di Tullio sports a navy-blue suit and impeccably knotted tie. The summer season is in full swing on the Tropez peninsula, but on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the terrace of the Cheval Blanc hotel wakes up peacefully under the protective shade of two majestic umbrella pines. The scene is striking: the lapping of the waves brings a feeling of relaxation, the sun is at its zenith, the Maures massif unfurls as a backdrop. In the midst of the guests seated for breakfast, Thierry di Tullio moves lightly and discreetly around the terrace. It’s an essential morning moment before the long day that awaits this extraordinary floor manager. He observes without being obsequious. He corrects without moralizing. He communicates without raising his voice. We interrupt him at the start of his day. He lends himself to the game, for which we are very grateful.
Michelin inspector
Born into a family of Italian origin, he grew up near Hyères alongside a mother who enjoyed cooking for her family on a daily basis. Gnocchi, lasagne, Bolognese sauce… Sunday lunches were all about transalpine dishes. “The intensity she brought to her cooking matched her personality. When you’re a child, you’re touched by what you receive”. A world away from the restaurant business, the young Thierry di Tullio dreamed of becoming a professional footballer. While still a teenager, he met the woman of his dreams and decided to give up his sporting career. It was a difficult choice, but one in which his heart quickly got the better of his reason.
Wishing to become independent, he left school at the age of 18 and worked in a pizzeria-crêperie. “At that stage, I was a long way from haute gastronomy, which for me was synonymous with elitism,” recalls Thierry. He submitted his curriculum vitae to the local newspaper and landed a job in a neighborhood bistro. Alone in the dining room, he managed the seated diners and was satisfied with this role without really asking himself any questions. One day, after having lunch in the restaurant and asking for the bill, a man introduces himself as a Michelin Guide inspector and wishes to speak to the chef about his dining experience. He then called out to Thierry di Tullio, reminding him that during lunch he’d asked him a question that Thierry hadn’t been able to answer. And his remark was: “In view of your incompetence, you could jeopardize a restaurant’s plans to one day obtain a Michelin star. Think carefully about your future”. A scathing criticism for the young manager, who drew the positive conclusion of changing his way of thinking about the profession. He would never see the gentleman again, but from that day on, he would never look back.
Direction Courchevel
Spurred on by chef Christian Farenasso, the young maître d’hôtel moved to Courchevel for the winter season. With barely enough money to pay his train fare, he arrived at the Hotel La Caravelle at the top of the posh Haute-Savoie resort. Thierry di Tullio was in charge of the bar and breakfast. I came across a timing psychopath: the customer had to have his tray in his room within three minutes of ordering”. He learned precision, rigor and service. After landing a position as chef de rang in Burgundy, the young couple left for New York with the equivalent of a fortnight’s budget in their pockets. Their American adventure lasted less than two years before they returned to France.
At the age of 25, the couple settled in Méribel, where Thierry became manager of the Antarès hotel’s three restaurants, while his wife took up the post of accountant. They stayed for six years, until 1998, when they were awarded a Michelin star. Thierry refined his speech, honed his gestures and, without really knowing it, created his own style of service. “During the discussions I have with my guests, if I give an impersonal speech, it has no impact. The customer can’t identify with my story if he doesn’t understand it. To get the customer interested, you have to find the right intonation, the right gestures and the right look”. A symbiosis that can’t be achieved without the kitchen’s legibility.
The Cheval Blanc epic
After the heights of Savoy, Thierry di Tullio landed on the shores of the Tropez and set his sights on a family-run hotel. At the time, the property was not yet part of the Cheval Blanc squadron and was called La Pinède. It was the property’s former owner, Jean-Claude Delion, who brought Thierry di Tullio to the famous Var village. In 2005, a certain Arnaud Donckele took over the restaurant’s kitchen. Still unknown to the galaxy of Michelin-starred chefs, the two quickly found themselves on the same wavelength. That same year, French entrepreneur Bernard Arnault bought La Caravelle to build Cheval Blanc Courchevel in 2006.
Meanwhile, at the La Vague d’Or restaurant in Saint-Tropez, the Thierry di Tullio and Arnaud Donckele duo are reducing the number of covers, expanding the wine list and focusing on regional cuisine rooted in Provence and the Mediterranean. From year to year and from service to service, the pair grew closer, understanding and elevating each other to become one. “I did all the opening and closing. Some nights at two in the morning, Arnaud would come and help me iron the restaurant tablecloths so I could finish earlier. I was back on duty at 6:00 for breakfasts,” recalls Thierry.
The LVMH era
In 2010, La Vague d’Or was unexpectedly awarded a second star at this stage of the adventure, much to the surprise of the previous owner who was resistant to the gastronomic project led by our two protagonists. On a Friday evening in 2013, the Michelin Guide called the restaurant and announced to Arnaud Donckele that the establishment had been awarded a third star. “We were so happy that nothing could have tarnished this dream, which seemed unattainable and had become reality beyond our wildest expectations”.
On August 17, 2015, Bernard Arnault comes to dinner and falls in love with the restaurant. At the end of the meal, he asks to speak to Arnaud Donckele. The conversation, of course, remains a secret. Three months later, the head of the LVMH group makes an offer and buys the Hotel de la Pinède, which becomes the Cheval Blanc Saint-Tropez. “Twenty years later, we’ve come full circle. In everything we do, we strive to create memories. The region is fundamental, getting to know the producers and telling a story is fundamental. We have an everyday responsibility. With Arnaud, we found our style and our guests quickly identified with it. It hasn’t always been easy, but what a journey…! Thank you, Mr Thierry.
