Saint Jean

Saint Jean is a French fresh pasta maker based in Romans-sur-Isère in the Drôme department (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region). The company calls itself a "French pasta maker since 1935". That year Émile Truchet, a restaurateur in Romans, invented his own ravioli machine, the "raviolatrice", which rolled the dough thinner than could be done by hand. The recipe came from a man born in Saint-Jean-en-Royans, grandson of a local ravioleuse: he added aged Comté to his grandmother's filling, had Truchet's machine reproduced by Romans craftsmen and launched the first Saint Jean ravioles.

Today the company, formed from the union of several pasta businesses, employs about 554 people. Its flagship is Raviole du Dauphiné: tiny square ravioli of soft wheat dough filled with cheese and parsley, holding the Label Rouge since 1998 and the IGP since 2009. Besides the Saint Jean brand for supermarkets, the company owns Royans for restaurants, the organic Comptoir du Pastier and Maison Truchet.

The Saint Jean range includes Saint Jean Ravioles du Dauphiné IGP, Saint Jean Ravioles créatives, Saint Jean Pâtes farcies (including large ravioli), Saint Jean Pâtes à poêler with pan-fried gnocchi and cappelletti, and Saint Jean Crozets et tagliatelles with fresh crozets and tagliatelle. The company also makes quenelles, soufflés, ready meals and sauces, and has produced organic products since 1993. The brand thus combines Fresh pasta, Filled pasta and the regional tradition of the Dauphiné and Savoy.