Maître Rôtisseur Armand Steinmetz is passionate about cooking and is without doubt one of Luxembourg's most famous culinary experts. He is the owner of Restaurant Steinmetz, located in the little village of Bech in the east of the Grand-Duchy. It is a business that Armand has built since 1980 when he and his wife, Nicole, took over his family’s farm, attached to which was a café/restaurant, a catering service and a distillery.

In the course of an exceptional career spanning over 40 years, Armand has lived and worked mostly in Luxembourg. He graduated from the Lycée Technique Hôtelier Alexis Heck (LTHAH*) in Luxembourg in 1970 and continued his professional development in a number of five-star hotels in Switzerland before finishing his training with Roger Vergé (three Michelin stars) at the Moulin de Mougins in France.

While completing his training as a chef and caterer, Armand was a member of the gold and silver-winning national team at Karlsruhe, Bern, Frankfurt/Main and Luxembourg in the Culinary World Cup. As a judge at national and international competitions, including the Chaîne’s Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition, Armand has travelled the world. He was a member of the panel of judges to select the European team for the Bocuse d’Or in Brussels in 2012, as well as in Stockholm in 2014.

In addition to his personal achievements as a chef, through his professional contributions Armand has shown his commitment to helping young chefs develop their skills. He was Senior Technical Lecturer at LTHAH for over 37 years. He also chairs the national final exam board.

Armand’s professional roles include Chair of Luxembourg’s association of professional chefs - Vatel - since 2003. This association: “aims to support both young and established chefs in honing their trade by offering them the opportunity to enter national and international competitions.” He is also a member of the World Association of Chefs’ Societies.

Today, Armand can look forward to a much more relaxed life, as his son has taken over the task of running the Restaurant Steinmetz. Nevertheless, Armand’s unique style, best summed up as ‘humour and simplicity’, is still reflected in the dishes served in the restaurant. The Franco-Luxembourg menu, based on the finest quality fresh ingredients, remains a favourite with customers.

* Currently the École technique de l’Hôtellerie et du Tourisme (EHT)