Frédy Girardet

Frédy Girardet (born 17 November 1936) is a Swiss chef who cooks in the French tradition. Often considered one of the greatest chefs of the 20th Century, his self-named restaurant Chez Girardet (now Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville) in Crissier, Switzerland (near Lausanne, Switzerland) earned three Michelin stars and before Girardet's retirement in 1996 was often called the greatest restaurant in the world.

Biography Girardet was born to Benjamin and Georgette Girardet In 1982 he published Les recettes originales de Girardet: La cuisine spontanée. In 1984 followed The Cuisine of Fredy Girardet (edited by food writer Narcisse Chamberlain), in French with English translation.

Restaurant Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville de Crissier was opened in 1971. Unlike many acclaimed chefs from the era, Girardet personally spent most of his time in the kitchen supervising the cuisine, rarely traveled, and for his work there, Girardet was often called the world's greatest chef.

Girardet sold his restaurant in 1996, at age 60, to Philippe Rochat, who had worked under Girardet since 1980, and Rochat's wife Franziska Rochat-Moser. He then retired to the town of Féchy. Girardet grew bored after retiring, and had some friction with Rochat, who quickly regained the restaurant's three-star rating.