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By age 16, Lionel began to cultivate his talent with the master chef Jacques LeDivellec in La Rochelle, later diversifying his abilities by traveling, studying and practicing culinary identities in Japan, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. It was during this time that Lionel met his future wife, Janet.
We are located at 9051 Soquel Drive in Aptos, California. Dinner served Tuesday - Sunday, 5:30pm - close Lunch served Tuesday - Friday, 11:30am - 2:00pm Closed on Monday Please call 831-688-5566 for reservations |
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Photos: Patty Hinz Imagery Oil Paintings by Beverly Moore. |
We invite
you to experience Ma Maison restaurant, renowned
for its authentic French cuisine prepared with fresh California attitude. Owners Lionel and
Janet Le Morvan will treat you like treasured guests in this
refined yet comfortable setting in Aptos. You’ll feel
warmly welcome in Ma Maison's charming atmosphere, whether you enjoy
lunch in the intimate patio
area, linger at the classic bar or share a romantic dinner close
to the fireplace in one of the two dining areas
of this beautifully renovated 1928 home.
Ma Maison's inviting
ambiance is the perfect prelude to the food, which is prepared by Chef Lionel
Le Morvan. A native Parisian who trained with a French Master,
Chef Lionel takes great pride in presenting
only the choicest of free-range meats, beautifully fresh seafood, hand-picked organic
produce and sommelier-selected California and French wines. In the
kitchen of Ma Maison, Chef Lionel works diligently,
yet playfully, to meet and exceed the high expectations learned within
his family of chefs.
Growing up between his parents'
home in Paris and the family home on the Normandy countryside,
Lionel experienced fishing,
gardening, and mushroom scavenging as simply a part of life.
He showed an early and noteworthy inclination toward cooking, even in a
family that emphasized the art of cuisine -- his mother and sister
returned from shopping one day to find eight-year-old Lionel standing
on a stool by the stove, flambéing bananas.
In 1998, the two returned to Janet's hometown of
Aptos whereupon the Shadowbrook restaurant promptly engaged Lionel’s culinary talents
as chef for two years. Then, after four years at Bear Valley
Lodge running the food and beverage department, Lionel and Janet
realized their dream, opening Ma Maison in February
2005. Since taking over the location that famed Chez Renee restaurant
once occupied, Ma
Maison is again offering gastronomic delights of French-meets-California
cuisine to the community. Welcome to our house!