It was my grandparents, Blanche and Julien Ernest, who created the Ernest company in Cannes in 1936. It was originally called the Lyons Charcuterie. They made traditional deli meats, including all the varieties of that time, plus many regional specialties of Lyon.

After the war, my parents, Elda and Paul, developed the business around ready-to-eat dishes, salads, and local specialties; opened another shop; and organized their first receptions, such as those of Eddie Barclay.

The company eventually became Ernest Traiteur (Ernest Catering) and Elda added fine pastries, ice cream, and chocolates to our product range. In the 80’s, my sister Colette and I developed the “reception planning” side of the business by modernizing the equipment which allowed us to obtain EEC health certification.

To kick off the new century, our latest creation is the Forville boutique, where we reveal the wonders of socca (large crêpe made with chickpea flour, a Nice specialty), which earned us several television appearances; sandwiches; a salad bar; and, above all, the quality bakery (using only organic flour), which we have added to our spectrum of trades.

Today we are known by gourmets throughout the world and are often cited as the benchmark of authenticity and quality in product, service, and dedication to imparting savoir faire to future generations.