Jérôme Viard was born in 1970 in Châlons-en-Champagne. The grandson of a wheelwright and son of a carpenter and cabinetmaker, he studied marketing techniques, oenology, and the economics of Champagne before founding the Tonnellerie de Champagne-Ardenne in 1998, the only active cooperage in northeastern France. His artisanal business now employs 10 people and manufactures or repairs nearly 1,500 barrels per year. Jérôme Viard earned the “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” (Living Heritage Company) designation for the Tonnellerie in 2006—renewed in 2012—as well as the Marne Young Tourism Talent Award for his guided tour program in 2013. As a craftsman preserving Champagne’s traditional expertise, he has also developed innovative ideas such as the alternating toasting of barrels, the amphora-style barrel, and the wooden muselet plate. He also founded the “Gîte de la Tonnellerie” in 2012.

Lauriane Payer, a ceramic artist based in Reims, founded the ATOME brand in 2022 with the goal of creating pieces in which material, texture, and craftsmanship take center stage. In 2025, she opened Atelier Studio ATOME, located at 12 rue de la Tirelire in Reims—a hybrid space combining a creative studio, a coworking space dedicated to ceramics, and an exhibition gallery. Each piece is entirely handcrafted, with particular attention paid to the choice of materials, textures, and finishes. Her aesthetic is characterized by organic shapes, delicate materials, and raw hues with subtle contrasts. She also develops bespoke collaborations with champagne houses, restaurants, and tableware brands, designing exclusive collections and custom pieces that are crafted in harmony with each brand’s identity and aesthetic.

Ben&Manu is a duo formed by Benoît Vauthier and Manu Lerendu, two French cabinetmakers and sculptors based in La Petite-Raon, in the Vosges. Their collaboration began in 2012, when they met at the Institut Québécois d’Ébénisterie in Canada. After graduating, they participated in several competitions in which their creations won awards, reinforcing their desire to continue their collaboration under the name Ben&Manu. Upon returning to France in 2015, they set up their workshop first in the Vendée, then in the Drôme, before settling in the Vosges in 2021. Cabinetmaking has long been an art form dedicated to ennobling furniture, where wood was enhanced by rare and precious materials. At a time when these exotic materials have become readily available, Ben&Manu have chosen to redefine the very concept of preciousness. For them, the true riches of the contemporary world are now time, space, and contemplation. From this reflection emerged a unique approach: to bring forth, by hand, sculpted landscapes on functional surfaces. Going against the grain of industrial design—which tends to standardize objects and prioritize efficiency—they have developed a sensitive and poetic approach. Their creations seek to evoke emotion, catch the eye, and offer moments of contemplation and daydreaming in everyday life.

Gabriel Lepousez is a neurobiologist specializing in sensory perception and brain plasticity. He holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and is currently a research fellow in the Perception and Memory Laboratory. For more than 15 years, Gabriel has been studying how our sensory brain perceives, analyzes, stores, and interprets information from our environment, and how these processes malfunction in certain neurological disorders. His work focuses on the fundamental mechanisms of olfactory perception and memory, the principles of brain regeneration, and interoception—the ability to perceive our body’s internal signals through body-brain communication. Passionate about oenology and wine tasting, Gabriel draws on all his expertise as a neuroscience researcher to understand how taste is formed in our brain, in light of the latest scientific discoveries. He is the driving force behind a new neurosensory approach to wine tasting, which he teaches in several university programs in France and abroad, as well as in international wine education programs. He is a regular speaker at conferences for the wine industry and in the media. He is a member of the Tasting Committee of the *Revue du Vin de France*, a member of the Académie du Vin de France and the Académie Amorim, and a member of the College of Rectors of the Union des Œnologues de France.

An Omnidesigner © and graduate of ENSCI (École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle), Sylvie Amar is the creative director of the Food Design agency. She is a design virtuoso—a multifaceted creator who is sensitive, curious, and exacting, and who advocates for concepts that are immediately understandable. In 1997, immediately after graduating, she founded her own full-service design agency to address a range of expectations and needs in the lifestyle sector, with a very specific focus: gastronomy. Within a few years, her expertise and her sleek, elegant style opened the doors to the world’s greatest chefs. As a result, leading figures in French gastronomy—such as Pierre Gagnaire, Olivier Rœllinger, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Jean-Michel Lorain—place their trust in her, as she has a deep understanding of the complexities of the hospitality and restaurant industry and the precision required in the solutions she provides. Today, her holistic approach, her experience, and her deep understanding of food culture enable her to bring creative ideas and a strategic vision to the culinary arts, agriculture, the food industry, and hospitality. Sylvie Amar embodies the brands she works for: product design, scenography, retail concepts, brand strategy, branding, packaging, and/or communication are her everyday tools for telling the right story and bringing her vision to life.

Food critic, author, content creator (It’s Better When It’s Good), culinary ethnologist, holds a master’s degree in the history of cuisine (DEA), and has a Ph.D. in truffles

Stéphane Bour, founder of Inferno Peppers, has been growing more than a hundred varieties of chili peppers in Prunay, in the Marne region, using pesticide-free methods since 2016. Passionate about agriculture and gastronomy, he explores the many aromatic expressions of chili peppers and collaborates with chefs, artisans, and producers. Author of the book *100 Chili Peppers to Grow and Taste*, he shares his expertise through workshops, lectures, and tastings dedicated to this still-underappreciated ingredient.

Maxime Cresson, executive chef, has forged his culinary identity by balancing gastronomic excellence with creativity. Trained by renowned chefs, he has developed a unique approach to the art of catering. He designs each creation to complement the Champagne vintages, playing with both flavors and colors to offer a harmonious and elegant experience. His work is part of an ongoing dialogue with Champagne Houses and cellar masters, who serve as a daily source of inspiration. In his view, cooking is above all a collective adventure, driven by exchange, exploration, and the joy of sharing emotions with every tasting.

“Having trained in both front-of-house and the kitchen, I have a comprehensive understanding of the restaurant industry and a genuine passion for French cuisine.” Drawing on a career rich in experience, I have built a solid professional identity that combines expertise, precision, and a love for the craft. Traditional cuisine is at the heart of this passion that drives me, as I champion a style of cooking that is authentic, generous, and respectful of time-honored recipes. It was therefore only natural that I decided to take the helm in the kitchen at Le Square. It’s not just about cooking, but about passing on a culinary heritage and celebrating local ingredients.