Étienne Borde, the chef who wants to leave an echo

Upon entering the restaurant, you step into a small, elegant, and peaceful room. Here, nothing is ostentatious. The decor is understated, leaving room for the essentials. A passageway leads to the kitchen. Behind the stove, a single man is at work: Étienne Borde, 32 years old.

It's hard to imagine, seeing him so calm and focused today, that he describes himself as an "extremely fiery" child. Yet it was this overflowing energy that led him to cooking. "I needed structure," he says with a smile.

During a work experience placement in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Lyon, he discovered a world where every gesture counts, where precision meets exacting standards. It was a revelation. His path was set. He enrolled in the Lyon hotel school and gained experience in prestigious establishments.
Under Mathieu Viannay, then Christian Têtedoie, he learned the fundamentals of French gastronomy and climbed the ranks. Later, an opportunity took him to the Auberge du Vieux Puits, then considered one of the best restaurants in the world. There, he worked alongside the three-Michelin-starred chef Gilles Goujon.
"He's the one who introduced me to haute cuisine," he says gratefully.

Life, however, brought him back to Lyon following a family bereavement. This decision deeply affected the young chef. "I couldn't attend my grandmother's funeral. I promised myself I would never again live too far from my family."

Back in the Lyon region, he continued his career in several Michelin-starred establishments: La Rotonde, Maison Clovis, then Takao Takano. The years passed, experiences accumulated, but another project began to take shape.

During the Covid pandemic, Étienne Borde and his partner Pauline felt a growing desire to leave the city. Drawn to the Drôme region by its natural beauty and a lifestyle more aligned with their values, they chose the Drôme. It was there that a new adventure began. When a Michelin-starred restaurant was looking for a pastry chef, Étienne Borde took the plunge and applied. There was just one catch: he wasn't a pastry chef. "I cheated a little," he admits with a laugh.
Through reading, advice gleaned from friends, and sheer hard work, he learned on the job. Eighteen months later, when a professional pastry chef joined the team, several of his creations were still featured on the menu.

This experience was a turning point. "I knew how to work with both savory and sweet dishes. So why not give it a try?" The idea matured during his paternity leave after the birth of his second child. The timing seemed obvious. "If I didn't do it now, I risked regretting it for the rest of my life."

When he discovered the former Ode Marine restaurant in Bourg-de-Péage, he immediately envisioned himself there. The place perfectly matched his idea: a small room, only about twenty covers, and the freedom to cook as he saw fit.

At his restaurant, the menus have evocative names: Whispers, Murmurs, Nuances, or Resonance. As for the dishes themselves, they remain intentionally mysterious.
"I only work with seasonal produce. Everything is constantly changing. And besides, I'm not very good at coming up with poetic names," he says with a smile. "You have to stay simple and humble."
His creativity is expressed elsewhere. On the plate.

Étienne Borde likes to surprise without ever provoking. He likes to introduce neglected ingredients, combine unexpected flavors, and create pairings that intrigue before ultimately convincing. A cauliflower with white chocolate. Celery prepared with different expressions of Granny Smith apple. Each combination is meticulously considered, as are the colors that compose the dish.
"I like everything to be coherent, right down to the visual nuances."

In his small kitchen, the chef works alone. Meticulous organization allows him to ensure every service is perfect. Alongside him, Mattéo greets the guests, presents the dishes, recommends wines, and attends to every detail. He can sometimes be seen in the kitchen checking a plate, correcting a minor flaw, or wiping away a single drop of sauce before it's sent out.
This discreet attention to detail is evident in every moment of the meal.

And then there's the name: Echo. Why choose it? Étienne Borde thinks for a few seconds before answering. "Of course, I hope people like my food. But above all, I'd like it to leave a lasting impression. Something that comes back later, like an echo."

At the end of the meal, you understand what he means. It's not just flavors you take away, but sensations, unexpected associations, sometimes even images. A sensitive and personal cuisine that continues to resonate long after you've left the table.