French cheF Paul Bocuse, who Passed away at the age oF 91 on
20 January this year, was a Pivotal Figure in modern cuisine and
the most Famous French cheF since escoFFier. with his la Bande
à Bocuse oF acolyte cheFs that included the troigros Brothers
and michel guerard, he ushered in the era oF 'nouvelle cuisine' in
the late 60's that changed French gastronomy and restaurant
cooking around the world Forever, and was the First celeBrity
cheF oF the modern era, creating a BluePrint that has Been
Followed By every internationally known cheF to come aFter him.FatheR
oF ModeRn
GastRonoMy
Dubbed, The Pope of French Cuisine, his New York Times obituary
described him as 'the most celebrated French chef of the postwar era'.
Loved and respected the world over, tributes to the charismatic chef, who
held three Michelin stars at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges in Collonges-
au-Mont-d’Or near Lyon for more than half a century, flooded in from
around the world from the likes of Daniel Boulud and Anthony Bourdain.
'Chef Paul Bocuse was not only my dear friend but a man who changed
our lives and the lives of millions. He set the example for chefs and
restaurateurs. He helped us understand the importance of evolution,
teaching, mentoring, sharing, and building meaningful relationships,'
wrote Thomas Keller on Instagram. French President Emmanuel Macron
described him as the 'incarnation of French cuisine' and said that 'his name
alone summed up French gastronomy in its generosity and respect for
tradition but also its inventiveness'.
Born in 1926, in Collonges-au-Mont-d’Or (where he died in a room above his
restaurant) where ten generations of the his family had been chefs since 1765,
Bocuse served his apprenticeship at La Mère Brazier near Lyon and went on to
work for the legendary Fernand Point at Pyramide in Vienne before returning home
to take over the family business.
He achieved the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 1961 and was awarded
the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (the highest decoration in France)
in1975 by President Valery Giscard d'Estaing for whom he created one
of his most celebrated dishes, la soupe aux truffes with its famous puff
pastry crust. He was twice named 'chef of the century'; in 1989 by the
Gault-Millau guide and again in 2011 by the Culinary Institute of America.
In 2006, Les Halles De Lyon, the city's world famous food market was
renamed in Bocuse's honour.Bocuse was an enthusiastic self publicist, appearing on television, the cover of
The New York Times Magazine and in adverts for mineral water. His commercial
interests included endorsing a range of crockery, cookware and his own label
wines. In the early 80's he opened a restaurant in Walt Disney's Epcot Centre, now
run by his son Jerome.
In addition to numerous cookery books, a string of brasseries in Lyon
and Japan and the Paul Bocuse Foundation that helps train young chefs,
Bocuse's legacy includes the Bocuse d'Or, the most important professional
cooking competition in the world. Established in 1987, the bi-annual event
brings together 24 young international chefs to prepare elaborate platters
for a jury of world famous chefs in front of a raucous live audience.