Joël Robuchon
Encyclopedia
Joël Robuchon is a French chef and restaurateur. He was titled "Chef of the Century" by the guide Gault Millau
in 1989 and also awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France
(France's Best Craftsman) in cuisine in 1976. He has published several cookbooks in French, two of which have been translated into English, has chaired the committee for the current edition of the Larousse Gastronomique
, and has hosted culinary television shows in France. He operates a dozen restaurants in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Macau, Monaco, New York City, Paris, Taipei, and Tokyo, with a total of 26 Michelin Guide
stars among them – the most of any chef in the world.
, France, one of four children. He worked as a cook in the Mauléon-sur-Sèvre seminary in the Deux-Sèvres
. At the age of 15, he became an apprentice chef at the Relais of Poitiers hotel, starting off as a pastry chef. In 1966, Robuchon became the official chef of Le Tour de France namely "Compagnon du Tour de France
", enabling him to travel throughout the country, learning a variety of diverse regional techniques. At 28, he was appointed as head chef at the hotel Harmony-Lafayette. In 1989, he was awarded "Chef of the Century" by Gault Millau
. He later started his own restaurant in Paris. He has mentored Gordon Ramsay
, Eric Ripert
and Michael Caines
. At 31, he won the Meilleur Ouvrier de France for his craftsmanship in Culinary Arts.
Seeing many of his peers die of stress and heart attacks, Robuchon took retirement at the age of 50. He staged a comeback, opening several restaurants bearing his name around the world. He hosted Cuisinez comme un grand chef on TF1
from 1996 to 1999; in 2000, he hosted Bon appétit bien sûr on France 3. Through his various restaurants, he has now accumulated a total of 27 Michelin Guide
stars – the most of any chef in the world.
Robuchon was the most influential French chef of the post-nouvelle cuisine era. Since the mid-1980s, he has been called the primus inter pares of Paris' three star chefs for his work both at Jamin and at his eponymous restaurant.
He was known for the relentless perfectionism of his cuisine; he says there is no such thing as the perfect meal – you can always do better. He was instrumental in leading French cuisine away from the excesses—and excessive reductionism—of nouvelle cuisine
. In particular, his cuisine was seen as harking back to a more authentic, even bourgeois French cuisine—the "cuisine actuelle" of Patricia Wells' book (re-published as "Simply French") which focused on making each ingredient taste of itself. Drawing his inspiration firstly from the simplicity of Japanese cuisine, and criticisms of the over-richness of classic French cuisine
, he led the way in creating a more delicate style respectful of natural food ingredients.
Gault Millau
Gault et Millau is one of the most influential French restaurant guides founded by two restaurant critics, Henri Gault and Christian Millau in 1965. Gault Millau is most famous for its rating system, on a scale of 1 to 20. Restaurants below 10 points are almost never listed...
in 1989 and also awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France
Meilleur Ouvrier de France
"Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France" is a craftsmen competition, held every four years.The title of Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France is a unique award in France according to category of trades in a contest between professionals. This contest is organized and recognized as a third-level degree...
(France's Best Craftsman) in cuisine in 1976. He has published several cookbooks in French, two of which have been translated into English, has chaired the committee for the current edition of the Larousse Gastronomique
Larousse Gastronomique
Larousse Gastronomique is an encyclopedia of gastronomy. The majority of the book is about French cuisine, and contains recipes for French dishes and cooking techniques...
, and has hosted culinary television shows in France. He operates a dozen restaurants in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Macau, Monaco, New York City, Paris, Taipei, and Tokyo, with a total of 26 Michelin Guide
Michelin Guide
The Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term normally refers to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
stars among them – the most of any chef in the world.
Biography
Robuchon was born in PoitiersPoitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
, France, one of four children. He worked as a cook in the Mauléon-sur-Sèvre seminary in the Deux-Sèvres
Deux-Sèvres
Deux-Sèvres is a French département. Deux-Sèvres literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department.-History:...
. At the age of 15, he became an apprentice chef at the Relais of Poitiers hotel, starting off as a pastry chef. In 1966, Robuchon became the official chef of Le Tour de France namely "Compagnon du Tour de France
Compagnons du Tour de France
The Compagnons du Tour de France are a French organization of craftsmen and artisans dating from the Middle Ages, but still active today. Their traditional, technical education techniques includes taking a tour, the Tour de France around France and being the apprentice of competent masters...
", enabling him to travel throughout the country, learning a variety of diverse regional techniques. At 28, he was appointed as head chef at the hotel Harmony-Lafayette. In 1989, he was awarded "Chef of the Century" by Gault Millau
Gault Millau
Gault et Millau is one of the most influential French restaurant guides founded by two restaurant critics, Henri Gault and Christian Millau in 1965. Gault Millau is most famous for its rating system, on a scale of 1 to 20. Restaurants below 10 points are almost never listed...
. He later started his own restaurant in Paris. He has mentored Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....
, Eric Ripert
Eric Ripert
Eric Ripert is a chef, author and television personality specializing in modern French cuisine and renowned for his work with seafood. His flagship restaurant, Le Bernardin, located in New York City, is routinely ranked among the best restaurants in the world by Restaurant magazine's and S...
and Michael Caines
Michael Caines
Michael Andrew Caines, MBE is an English chef, born in Exeter, Devon.He is currently head chef of Gidleigh Park in Devon, the Royal Clarence in Exeter, and developing the Abode hotels concept with Andrew Brownsword.-Biography:...
. At 31, he won the Meilleur Ouvrier de France for his craftsmanship in Culinary Arts.
Seeing many of his peers die of stress and heart attacks, Robuchon took retirement at the age of 50. He staged a comeback, opening several restaurants bearing his name around the world. He hosted Cuisinez comme un grand chef on TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
from 1996 to 1999; in 2000, he hosted Bon appétit bien sûr on France 3. Through his various restaurants, he has now accumulated a total of 27 Michelin Guide
Michelin Guide
The Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term normally refers to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
stars – the most of any chef in the world.
Robuchon was the most influential French chef of the post-nouvelle cuisine era. Since the mid-1980s, he has been called the primus inter pares of Paris' three star chefs for his work both at Jamin and at his eponymous restaurant.
He was known for the relentless perfectionism of his cuisine; he says there is no such thing as the perfect meal – you can always do better. He was instrumental in leading French cuisine away from the excesses—and excessive reductionism—of nouvelle cuisine
Nouvelle Cuisine
Nouvelle cuisine is an approach to cooking and food presentation used in French cuisine. By contrast with cuisine classique, an older form of French haute cuisine, nouvelle cuisine is characterized by lighter, more delicate dishes and an increased emphasis on presentation.-History:The term...
. In particular, his cuisine was seen as harking back to a more authentic, even bourgeois French cuisine—the "cuisine actuelle" of Patricia Wells' book (re-published as "Simply French") which focused on making each ingredient taste of itself. Drawing his inspiration firstly from the simplicity of Japanese cuisine, and criticisms of the over-richness of classic French cuisine
French cuisine
French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel , a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France...
, he led the way in creating a more delicate style respectful of natural food ingredients.
Restaurants
- Beirut - La Cave de Joël Robuchon
- Hong Kong - L'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the name of eight French gourmet restaurants, located in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, New York, Paris, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. Owned by chef Joël Robuchon, the restaurants serve his French haute cuisine in a stylized environment...
(3 Michelin stars), Salon de Thé de Joël Robuchon - Las Vegas - L'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the name of eight French gourmet restaurants, located in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, New York, Paris, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. Owned by chef Joël Robuchon, the restaurants serve his French haute cuisine in a stylized environment...
(1 Michelin star), Joël Robuchon (3 Michelin stars) - London - L'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the name of eight French gourmet restaurants, located in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, New York, Paris, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. Owned by chef Joël Robuchon, the restaurants serve his French haute cuisine in a stylized environment...
(2 Michelin stars), La Cuisine de Joël Robuchon - Macau - Robuchon á Galera (3 Michelin stars)
- Monaco - Restaurant de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin stars), Yoshi (1 Michelin star)
- New York - L'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the name of eight French gourmet restaurants, located in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, New York, Paris, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. Owned by chef Joël Robuchon, the restaurants serve his French haute cuisine in a stylized environment...
(2 Michelin stars) - Paris - L'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the name of eight French gourmet restaurants, located in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, New York, Paris, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. Owned by chef Joël Robuchon, the restaurants serve his French haute cuisine in a stylized environment...
(2 Michelin stars), La Table de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin stars) - Singapore - L'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the name of eight French gourmet restaurants, located in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, New York, Paris, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. Owned by chef Joël Robuchon, the restaurants serve his French haute cuisine in a stylized environment...
, Restaurant de Joël Robuchon - Taipei - L'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the name of eight French gourmet restaurants, located in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, New York, Paris, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. Owned by chef Joël Robuchon, the restaurants serve his French haute cuisine in a stylized environment...
, Salon de Thé de Joël Robuchon - Tokyo - L'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the name of eight French gourmet restaurants, located in Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, New York, Paris, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo. Owned by chef Joël Robuchon, the restaurants serve his French haute cuisine in a stylized environment...
(2 Michelin stars), La Table de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin stars), Le Chateau de Joël Robuchon (3 Michelin stars)
Awards
- Joël Robuchon at the Mansion Las Vegas Gayot Top 40 Restaurants in the US in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 (Perfect 19/20 "Exceptional" rating)
- Best French Restaurant, Best Chef in Las Vegas, Las Vegas Life International Epicurean Awards
- Rated "3 Stars" Las Vegas MichelinMichelinMichelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
Guide - "Hot Tables" CondeNast Traveller
- Five-Star Award, 2006-2011 ForbesForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
Travel Guide - Best French Restaurant in Las Vegas, 2006–2010, Hotel Concierge Association.
- The Laurent Perrier 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award at The S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants 2009
Cookbooks
- Simply French (with Patricia Wells)
- Tout Robuchon (published as The Complete Robuchon in English)
- French Cheeses
- Joël Robuchon Cooking Through the Seasons
- La Cuisine de Joël Robuchon
- L'Atelier of Joël Robuchon: The Artistry of a Master Chef and His Protégés
- Le Grand Larousse Gastronomique