Eric BLADOU

Head sommelier : 1 restaurant A passionate sommelier, Éric Bladou spent over twenty years working with Yannick Delpech in his Colomiers restaurant. His talent has been rewarded with the Occitanie 2024 Sommelier Trophy.

Presentation

Although he grew up in the Landes département, it was at the Souillac hotel school in Périgord that Éric Bladou learned the trade. "Originally, all I knew was that I wanted to work in the dining room. Of course, I already had a particular liking for wine, I'd been introduced to it by friends and family, but it was one of the teachers at the school who taught me.one of the teachers at the school who convinced me to persevere in this path, after noticing that I had a facility for tasting."

Quickly convinced that he had found his calling, our future winner of the Sommelier Occitanie trophy began his real professional apprenticeship at the magnificent Château de la Treyne (Lot), then at Château de Mercuès, where he stayed for three years before doing his military service for the Minister of Defense.

Two decades with Yannick Delpech

Éric Bladou then spent two years at Clos de la Violette, Aix-en-Provence, then a few months with Michel Chabran, before joining Yannick Delpech in Toulouse. "I absolutely wanted to move there. The positions were filled at Michel Sarran, but I never regretted working with Yannick, who left me full responsibility for his cellar for twenty years. L'Amphitryon was my home, the crush of a lifetime."

In 2023, a new experience with Gilles Goujon

After a short stint in Brittany in 2022, working for Ronan Kervarrec, Éric Bladou moved to sunnier climes by setting up in Béziers, at the L'Alter/Native restaurant. "The discussion with Gilles Goujon was very quick. We immediately agreed, because we have the same vision of the business. He gives me carte blanche to manage the cellar, which suits me perfectly." Gault&Millau rewarded his expertise with the Occitanie 2024 Sommelier Trophy.