The farm
Ferme Le Devant lies at the heart of the Bresse region, about halfway between Bourg-en-Bresse and Chalon-sur-Saône: a farm where Bresse chickens and guinea fowl are bred with love and where Bayeux free-range pigs and Hampshire Down lambs graze on the meadows of the French countryside.
Love for tradition
Whoever chances here, sees at once why the two Belgian brasseries – Pakhuis & La Quincaillerie – and Pleasures Boutique have opted to work with Le Devant. Love for tradition and breeding takes centre stage on an estate that spans 80 hectares of greenery, 26 of which are farmland. Here is the source of the wondrous dishes served to diners at the brasseries every day.
The farm itself is run by Christophe Perraut, who performs the daily tasks of Le Devant together with 3 staff. Work on the weekends is limited to feeding and caring for the animals, while the harder chores are tackled during the week. The small-scale operation and the approach confer on Le Devant its own soul, its own pace. Every day is different. Routine is unknown.
Christophe gives explanations to young chefs in training
Our philosophy
Living in harmony
Scores of cooking ingredients have lost their taste identity under the onslaught of mass production and standardization. At the farm, products are given the time they need to develop their full flavour in a natural way under optimal circumstances. This is the only way to obtain the full taste of yore.
Quality and continuity
The work is performed according to tried and tested methods steeped in tradition, but using contemporary techniques. In this way Nature is given an opportunity to come into its own. But the input and discipline of the staff, combined with contemporary criteria, are a condition sine qua non to guaranteeing optimal quality at all times.
Partnership
The products from Le Devant reach the kitchens of our two brasseries (Pakhuis and La Quincaillerie) and Pleasures Boutique on a frequent and direct basis. The chefs are thus constantly supplied with seasonal fresh products from the farm directly from the heart of the Bresse region. We also supply for instance Bresse chickens from Le Devant to a limited number of customers who share our passion for genuine products.
