Since 2013, 16th October has become the national day for the fight against food waste. The objective of this day is to invite the French to reduce food waste: becoming aware of what is on your plate is essential, consuming better and locally is important. Focus on committed and responsible cuisine within the Groupe PVG. A legendary gourmet restaurant in La Clusaz, Le Coeur, which opens all year round, serves delicate and inventive cuisine; a combination of influences from far-flung destinations and whose head chef, Vincent Deforce, enhances the very best the mountains have to offer with the utmost respect for the mountains themselves. "Local produce is a wonderful source of inspiration, wherever you are. Twice a week I head to La Clusaz and Grand-Bornand markets, where I find the kind of products which are linked to history and to the region" , explains Vincent Deforce. Without forgetting foraging for wild plants, which the new head chef of Le Coeur (util winter 2018-2019 he was the pastry chef) does with his staff. They gather blueberries, woodruff, meadowsweet, elderberry and wild garlic, which grows on the banks of the river running though La Clusaz and which is made into pesto. "Local produce brings a real added value to cooking and its even more important, because our resources (Editor's note: on a global scale), are limited. Tomorrow's cooking should take this into consideration." LOCALLY-SOURCED PRODUCTS, A PHILOSOPHY... Fortunately, the chefs in charge of the PVG restaurants, including Adrien Tupin-Bron, head chef at the gastronomic La Voile restaurant within the Imperial Palace Annecy and Vincent Deforce, have been working with local produce for several years now. Their cream and milk come from local farms, while cheese is produced by cheesemaker Alain Michel, based in Annecy and La Clusaz, Bresse poultry from the Maison Miéral in the Ain region, Maison JA Gastronomie in the Pays de la Loire, etc. Fish is lake-caught and includes pike and perch caught in Lake Geneva. The menu changes with the seasons and depends on deliveries. "We only work with French, seasonal, organic or responsibly-farmed produce. I prefer to choose French responsibly-farmed produce over Spanish organic goods" , explains Vincent. ... AND EXCEPTIONAL CUISINE The proof is in the pudding. "Each dish includes local produce or a French product combined with outside influences" . Indian spices, ingredients from Mauritius (where he used to live and met his wife) and Japan (he one worked alongside Laurent Peugeot at the Japanese-inspired eatery, Charlemagne in Burgundy). A delicate balance which can be found for exemple in the Dombes duckling fillet, served with a sweet potato mousseline trilogy and the foie gras with Mondeuse (a red wine from Savoie) accompanied by wild blueberries deglazed with balsamic vinegar. The chef is also fond of combining textures; each dish must have some bite to it, be it cooked or raw; such as the beetroot medley which unites baby glazed beetroot with mousseline and beetroot pickles. Needless to say, the chef is developing ever-more vegetarian dishes, as well as organic, gluten-free and lactose-free offerings. In winter, his enticing seasonal vegetable wok combines multi-colored carrots with parsnips, celery, leer, garlic, pak-choï, ginger, buckwheat Soba noodles and chopped nori leaves with tangy lime. A delicious cuisine which is as delicate on the taste buds as it's on the planet.