An Interview With Laurent Gardinier

Laurent Gardinier: an entrepreneur that reveres tradition

Understated and thoughtful, yet passionate and full of ambition, Laurent Gardinier believes in the power of hospitality and gastronomy to bring people together. He has pledged to update the Relais & Châteaux Manifesto to better reflect the challenges faced by the world today and to further enhance the solidarity of the association. He approaches his new role with profound energy and an unyielding mindset for how our independent properties will thrive in the era of sustainability.

A little about your childhood and upbringing

I’m from a family of entrepreneurs, after my father Xavier and grandfather Lucien, who founded the Gardinier family business. I lived a happy Parisian childhood alongside my older brothers. I followed a fairly classic school curriculum before studying in Paris, at La Sorbonne and Dauphine University, covering economics, finance, history, political history and political philosophy.

Did your studies suggest you were bound for the business world?

After my studies, I began working with my brothers in the family business, precisely because it was the family business. If I hadn’t done so, I may never have entered the entrepreneurial field. To take on a family business, and to develop and perpetuate its values, is an honor. But perhaps what best prepared me for this world was my military service. As an officer in the navy, aide-de-camp to the Admiral of the Brest flotilla, I learned a lot about solidarity, hierarchy, fraternity. I understood the contribution of everyone's role, in the right place.

Have you followed in the footsteps of your ancestors?

Not exactly. My brothers and I never considered ourselves heirs as such, as each generation of Gardiniers has pursued different activities. Our generation is firmly focused on high-end hospitality and gastronomy, out of passion for these exceptional areas. Gardinier bought Relais & Châteaux Le Domaine Les Crayères in Champagne in 2000. Then, in 2014, it acquired Le Taillevent, a Relais & Châteaux restaurant with two Michelin stars. I get huge satisfaction from working in the world of hospitality and wine, even though I am neither a practitioner, nor from hotel parents, nor from a hotel school. Promoting Art de Vivre (the art of living) through our beautiful properties fills me with joy. Hospitality and gastronomy combine such rich worlds – architecture and aesthetics, culture and civilization, our sociability and humanity.

So an unexpected but satisfying career?

In a family business, the notion of a career is more an expression of a vision, because an entrepreneurial approach can take it in new, unexpected directions. Along with my brothers, I am happy to have contributed to the evolution of our company.

Is taking on the presidency of Relais & Châteaux, in addition to your own business, a courageous move?

I can embark on this life-changing adventure because my brothers are assuming part of my responsibility at Gardinier – and above all because Relais & Châteaux has an incredible management team.

Are you familiar with the operation of the association?

I have sat on the Board of Directors of Relais & Châteaux since 2005, as the French National Delegate representing 140 properties. I truly appreciate the responsibilities of an elected mandate and how it translates into day-to-day reality for our member properties – that’s what encouraged me to pursue similar positions in my own community, as a municipal councilor for seven years, in the commune of Saint-Estèphe, and as a deputy for the Fifth Bordeaux district, for five years.

What sets Relais & Châteaux apart from other hotel brands?

Even if the notion of luxury is important, it does not distinguish us from our competitors. The differentiating factor is the pledge we made to UNESCO, in 2014, to ‘make the world a better place through food and hospitality’ and to ‘elevate the fine art of living’ which positions us uniquely through our values, essential for people and the planet. Relais & Châteaux is not content to be an effective reservation platform, merely offering marketing and communication support for its members. Instead, we give our properties tools so they can participate in the development of a better world. Philippe Gombert, our past President, and Olivier Roellinger, our Vice-President, were truly pioneers in this respect. They defined the art of hospitality with respect for the land and people, taking into account the authenticity and uniqueness of countries, customs and cultures.

Is Relais & Châteaux a strong brand abroad?

It is a very powerful brand, an association on a human scale, of restaurants and hotels with an average of 30 rooms. They are in unique places, often beautifully remote locations, with authentic architecture that evokes the past or celebrates contemporary design. Each property offers its own style of service and cuisine, recognized through our 340 Michelin stars. All of these qualities have contributed to a reduction in the average age of our guests, by five years – it has now fallen below the 50-year mark.

How do you envision your Presidency?

I intend to devote myself totally to it, without upsetting everything. Relais & Châteaux is unique in the world, bringing together 580 members in 65 countries, managed by an efficient, dedicated and competent management team. We must remain attentive to the quality of our network, to the values we share and to which each member must feel aligned. I think it is necessary to broaden the 2014 Manifesto, to retain our role as pioneers, and to give it an even greater societal, eco-responsible dimension. In that way we can motivate and retain our employees, bring more meaning to their jobs, retain and unite our current members and attract guests who are equally aligned to our commitments.

What are your concrete intentions?

To write and publish a new Manifesto in 2024, building on the work from 2014, but encompassing current issues and taking the specific sensitivities of each country into account. I am focused on three main areas: reducing our environmental footprint with economically realistic solutions; preserving biodiversity, working in particular with our chefs; and enhancing respect for each of our employees and increased social responsibility; all while maintaining the financial health of our Association. All Executive Committee members wish to move forward in this direction. Just as Philippe Gombert worked so closely with his Vice-President, Olivier Roellinger, a chef, on the 2014 Manifesto, I will be closely aligned with Mauro Colagreco, an Italian-Argentinian chef whose restaurant Mirazur has three Michelin stars and who is a long-time activist for eco-responsible gastronomy. In 2024, on the 70th anniversary of Relais & Châteaux, we will unveil our new ambition.

Are you looking forward to a dynamic start?

As I said earlier, the high-quality management team successfully oversees the image of Relais & Châteaux, its dynamism, community and the interests of our owners and their properties. Our innovative communication increases brand awareness and highlights activities in terms of services to members and guests, and towards the environment. I’m delighted that all Relais & Châteaux employees are so devoted to the association and its 580 members, and work so hard to perpetuate and develop the brand – we saw that especially during the COVID pandemic. As a result of this collective dedication and expertise, I look forward to my Presidency with confidence, excitement and ambition.