Guy Savoy. Author MARdF. WIKIMEDIA

10 Most Famous French Chefs


 

France is well known worldwide at the forefront of cooking since its placement as the leader of the haute cuisine. The French have been involved in Gastro-tourism which has been blooming. In addition, France also played a major role in the creation of the gastronomy bible: The Michelin Guide.

French chefs are typically known for their rich flavours, cheese, wine and luxury that attract their customers from all over the world. The chefs are mainly known as Chef de Cuisine which is the traditional French term for top chefs in France even though the most prevalently used term is head chef.

Below are the 10 Most Famous French Chefs:

1. Paul Bocuse

Paul Bocuse, French cook, by Alain Elorza.Author Alain Elorza. WIKIMEDIA

Paul Bocuse was a French chef based in Lyon who was born on 11th February 1926. He is widely known for the high quality of his restaurants and his innovative approaches to cuisine that earned him more praise across the world. Paul Bocuse was a student of Eugenie Brazier and was one of the prominent chefs associated with the nouvelle cuisine.

Nouvelle cuisine was in contrast to cuisine Classique as it is characterized by lighter, more delicate dishes and an increased emphasis on presentation. Paul claimed that Henri Gault used the term nouvelle cuisine to describe the food he made along with other top chefs for the maiden flight of the Concorde airliner in 1969.

He had several students who later became renowned chefs across the world. Paul Bocuse is also much known for his restaurants with the main one being l’Auberge du Pont de Collonges. This restaurant was one of the 27 restaurants in France to receive a three-star rating in 2017 by the Michelin Guide.

2. Alain Ducasse

Alain Ducasse operates several restaurants including Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester which holds three stars in the Michelin Guide. Author Wikialainducasse. WIKIMEDIA

At the age of 16, Alain Ducasse began an apprenticeship at the Pavillon Landais restaurant. He later began working at Michel Guerard’s restaurant while also working for Gaston Lenotre during the summer months. This is where he learnt cooking skills and became a legendary cook with the Provencal cooking methods being one of his skills.

Alain Ducasse later became the first chef to own restaurants with three Michelin Stars in three cities. His influence has become his wife through his writing and approach to cooking. He is one of two chefs to hold 21 Michelin stars throughout his career.

Alain Ducasse has much recognition worldwide for his influence which has earned him several rewards and accolades. From Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, Alain owns several other restaurants in Paris, London, Las Vegas, Hong Kong and other top cities in the world.

3. Anne-Sophie Pic

Anne-Sophie Pic. Author Claude Truong-Ngoc. WIKIMEDIA

She is a French chef who is best known for regaining three Michelin stars for her restaurant in the southeast of France. Annie-Sophie was born into a family of chefs and was raised in her father’s restaurant, Maison Pic. Before becoming a chef, Pic decided to take management jobs and travelled across the world.

However, at the age of 23, she decided to return home and trained to become a chef under her father. Her father died three months later with their restaurant lost its star which motivated Annie-Sophie to work hard.

She regained her father’s Michelin stars even though she had no formal training. Her cooking style is French cuisine which has made her rank as the fourth female chef to win three Michelin stars. She currently holds ten Michelin stars.

4. Marie Antoine Careme

He was a French chef and an early practitioner and exponent of the elaborate style of cooking known as grande cuisine. Grandiose cooking or Haute cuisine is characterized by the meticulous preparation and careful presentation of food that will go at a high price.

This cooking style from Marie Antoine Careme was favoured by both international royalties and by the newly rich of Paris. He is known as one of the first internationally renowned celebrity chefs who also wrote several books on cooking before his death.

5. Joel Robuchon

Fresh scallops cooked in the shell with seaweed-infused butter by Joel Robuchon.Author Krista. Wikimedia

The Chef of the Century, Joel Robuchon was a renowned French chef and restaurateur. Joel was a renowned chef who won multiple awards the most notable one being France’s nest worker in cuisine in 1976.

He was also a great writer who published several cookbooks, two translated into English, he chaired the committee for the Larousse Gastronomique and hosted several culinary TV shows. Joel owned several restaurants across Asia, Europe and North America. By 2016, his restaurants held 32 Michelin Guide stars.

6. Hélène Darroze

Hélène Darroze – Grand chef cuisinier gastronomique de Paris. Author Arnaud 25. WIKIMEDIA

Hélène Darroze began her career working for Alain Ducasse in the office of Le Louis XV. Ducasse later convinced her to enter the kitchen which was her first time and the beginning of her journey to becoming a renowned chef.

She currently has 6 Michelin stars and three Austrian, Hélène Darroze with 3 stars, Marsan par Hélène Darroze in Paris with 2 stars and Hélène Darroze à Villa La Coste with one star.

7. Guy Savoy

Guy Savoy. Author MARdF. WIKIMEDIA

He is a renowned French chef who is the Head chef and owner of the eponymous Guy Savoy restaurant in Paris. Guy Savoy also owns another huge restaurant in Las Vegas which has multiple Michelin Stars alongside the one in Paris.

Other than being a renowned chef, Guy is also a trainer and culinary mentor of Gordon Ramsay. His voice, of sous-chef Horst was used for the French version of the Pixar animated film Ratatouille.

8. Alain Passard

Alain is a renowned French chef and owner of the three Michelin stars restaurant L’Arpege in Paris. He began his career under Michelin-starred Breton Chef Michel Kerever at the age of fourteen.

Alain was exposed to the fundamentals of classic cuisine as he continued his progress of becoming a top chef. He received his first two Michelin stars at the age of 26 which showed how committed he was.

His three Michelin stars were earned for his chicken and dishes but he made a huge step forward. Alain decided to remove meat and poultry from his menu concentrating on vegetables which made him more popular.

9. Philippe Etchebest

Philippe’s journey to becoming a top French chef is so amazing as his interests were in rugby. He grew up in a family that owned a restaurant which made him change his interest at the age of 15.

By the age of 22, Philippe became the second chef de cuisine at the Paris restaurant Clos Longchamps and moved on to Jardins de I’Opera. He owns some restaurants and has been awarded two Michelin stars.

10. Pierre Herme

He is a French pastry chef and chocolatier who began his career at the age of 14 as an apprentice of Gaston Lenotre. Pierre prefers discreet pastry decors and uses sugar-like salt for seasoning to heighten the shades of flavour.

He owns several top restaurants and his work has been appreciated through the awards that he has been given. Pierre is also ranked as the fourth most influential French person.

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