David DEGOURSY

Chef : de:ja After studying literature in college and working as a dishwasher before taking the helm of the kitchen at de:ja in Strasbourg, David Degoursy shares the “Grand de Demain” award from the Gault&Millau Tour Grand Est with Jeanne Satori.

Presentation

In the highly structured world of culinary careers, his path stands out. When asked about this distinction, the young chef immediately refuses to take all the credit: “The entire creative aspect of cooking is a two-person effort. Jeanne and I invent, develop, test, and taste, and every dish must have both of our approval.” On a day-to-day basis, however, he’s the one who runs the kitchen and brings the dishes they’ve conceived together to life, service after service.

A Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts Instead of a Culinary Certificate

A native of Haguenau, David Degoursy did not follow the traditional path through culinary schools. With a bachelor’s degree in humanities under his belt, he entered the kitchen through the back door, almost as a guest diner. The turning point came at the table, as a diner, at Bertrand Grébaut’s Septime or at René Redzepi’s Noma. From those meals sprang the desire to open a restaurant in his own image, without going through the large kitchen brigades that typically shape young chefs.

Washing Dishes as a Learning Experience

Rather than a prestigious internship, he chose the most humble position: “ I started out as a dishwasher at Maïence, which was launched at the time with the help of Gilles Goujon. I wasn’t cooking, but it allowed me to observe the rhythms and the production line a bit.” ” This was followed by a stint at Le Bœuf in Sessenheim under Yannick Germain—a restaurant that has since become Maison Héritage. Then the Covid hiatus gave the couple time to let their project mature. “ We had time to thoroughly prepare our business before launching it.”

Three Michelin stars in four years

De:ja opened its doors in 2021 on Rue Schimper, in the Quinze neighborhood. Word of mouth quickly took hold: two toques by 2022, a “Terroir d’Exception” Trophy at the 2024 Gault&Millau Tour Grand Est, and then a third toque in 2025. A meteoric rise for a chef who has never worked as a commis.

A Return to the Classics

Long inspired by travel and distant influences, his cuisine now also draws on culinary heritage. “At first, through our research and ideas, we wanted to have a vision open to the world, sometimes through travel. Today we realize that we’re also deeply drawn to the fundamentals of French home-style cooking, which is so rich.” A delightful admission from a chef with a background in the humanities, proving that at de:ja, nothing is ever set in stone.