How to cook and prepare an exceptional buffet for a thousand guests in record time? How do you transform a 17th-century château into the dream setting for a spectacular event? Welcome to the world of exceptional caterers—professionals who take on large-scale challenges while preserving the finesse of haute cuisine.

We meet men and women driven by passion. They dedicate their lives to their craft. All of them carry a unique legacy: that of French gastronomy, a symbol of a certain art of living, delicately balanced between tradition and modernity.

While restaurant chefs often bask in media attention, these chefs work far from the spotlight. Yet they’re required to produce high-end cuisine every single day. Behind the staggering volumes lies the unique craftsmanship of the catering world.

For these taste-marathoners, custom-made excellence is a daily challenge. Every event is a new mission. One rule guides them all: to surprise and delight.

Marie Soria is the executive chef at Potel et Chabot, one of the most prestigious catering houses in France. She’s the only woman in the country to hold such a position. During the famous Roland Garros tennis tournament, she must coordinate 60 reception areas spread throughout the stadium.

“It’s an exceptional tournament. Roland Garros is known all over the world, and the catering must live up to that standard. Every day, we serve 4,500 meals—it’s intense. As they say, at Roland Garros, we’re also hitting the ball!”

For Marie, challenges come one after another. She brings us behind the scenes of an extraordinary evening: the “Soirée Blanche” hosted by the Disciples of Escoffier at the Pavillon Gabriel. A major undertaking: 1,000 guests served at the table, including some of the greatest chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary professionals. The bar is set high.

Marie has to conceive everything: menus, dishware, service design, table decor—even ice sculptures, all crafted in-house. And most importantly, she must create a show around the meal.

“What I want is to create a little spark, an emotion…”

Guy Krenzer, the only active chef to hold two Meilleur Ouvrier de France titles, leads the largest brigade in Europe. At Lenôtre in Plaisir, 500 chefs work daily in 12,000 m² of workshops. He’s the Executive Chef and Creative Director of the legendary house, proud to carry on the legacy of Gaston Lenôtre, known as “the pastry chef of the century.”

“It’s a big team of 500 people, but everything we do remains very artisanal.”

In Lenôtre’s workshops, we discover the art of designing a towering wedding cake or crafting the perfect praline—starting with hand-sorting 20 tons of hazelnuts and almonds each year.

Guy surrounds himself with the best artisans to elevate the house’s expertise. In Corsica, he collaborates with renowned confectioner Marcel Santini, developing recipes together in the cédrat (citron) orchards.

At the Atelier des Lumières, a former 19th-century foundry, Guy must design a unique cocktail event for 500 guests. He draws inspiration from a spectacular sound and light show themed around Viennese painters, integrating his culinary creations into the immersive scenography.

“The difference with a restaurant is that restaurateurs are always on-site, with their team and kitchen. For us, everything must be set up in a single day—and it’s just for that one event. That’s the magic of our job: today we’re in a contemporary venue, tomorrow we’re in Versailles’ Galerie des Batailles with a parade of maître d’s, and the day after we’re on a boat serving two people for a birthday. That’s the life—it’s crazy, and we love it.”

Stéphane Debracque is the head chef at Maxim’s Catering. For one day, his playground is a breathtaking venue: the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, the inspiration for Versailles. From 29 meters up, in a dome usually closed to the public, he surveys the gardens where he must plan an ultra-luxury reception.

“It’s magical to work in places like this—they’re just sublime. This job gives you access to truly spectacular settings.”

The event must be as exceptional as its location: a caviar bar, a three-meter cake, and a dessert buffet crafted like fine jewelry.

“It has to be pure indulgence… I do this to bring joy to others. That’s why I’m a chef. The ultimate reward is the smile on people’s faces. That’s what this job is about: sharing.”

In his kitchen lab, Stéphane creates collections of petits fours each year. To find the most exceptional products, he doesn’t hesitate to leave France. We follow him to Finland, under the midnight sun, to a small family farm where a unique rose petal jam is made.

“We don’t often leave our kitchens, but I need to go straight to the source. It’s the DNA of my cooking. Everything inspires me—a shape, a color, a mood… It’s obsessive. This is a job driven by passion.”