Joël Robuchon

Joël Robuchon (, 7 April 1945 – 6 August 2018) was a French chef and restaurateur. He was named "Chef of the Century" by the guide Gault Millau in 1989, and awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (France's best worker) in cuisine in 1976. He published several cookbooks, two of which have been translated into English, chaired the committee for the Larousse Gastronomique, and hosted culinary television shows in France. He operated more than a dozen restaurants across Bangkok, Bordeaux, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Macau, Madrid, Monaco, Montreal, Paris, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and New York City. His restaurants have been acclaimed, and he held 31 Michelin Guide stars among them by the time of his death in 2018, the most any restaurateur has ever held. He is considered to be one of the greatest chefs of all time.

Biography Robuchon was born in 1945 in Poitiers, France, one of four children of a bricklayer. He attended the seminary in Châtillon-sur-Sèvre (now Mauléon), Deux-Sèvres, In 1960, at the age of 15, he became an apprentice chef at the Relais de Poitiers hotel, starting as a pastry chef.

After he turned 21, he joined the apprenticeship Compagnon du Tour de France, enabling him to travel throughout the country, learning a variety of regional techniques. While working as an Executive Chef and Food and Beverage manager of the Nikko hotel in Paris he gained two Michelin stars.

In 1981, he opened his own restaurant, Jamin, which holds the rare distinction of receiving three Michelin stars in the first three years of existence. In 1984, Jamin was named "Best Restaurant in the World" by the International Herald Tribune. Eric Ripert, and Michael Caines.

In 1995, seeing many of his peers die of stress and heart attacks, Robuchon retired at the age of 50. He subsequently 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, including the newly awarded 3-star rating for his restaurant in Singapore, he accumulated a total of 31 Michelin Guide stars – the most of any chef in the world.

Robuchon died from cancer on 6 August 2018, a year after receiving treatment for a pancreatic tumour. He was 73.

Personal life Robuchon and his wife Jeanine Paulette Arlette Robuchon, a French woman whom he married in 1966, had two children, son Eric Robuchon, a pedicurist and podiatrist based in Paris, and daughter Sophie Kartheiser, who manages a restaurant named La Cour d'Eymet in Dordogne with her husband, chef François Kartheiser. He also has a son Louis Robuchon-Abe (born 1988) with a Japanese woman. Louis is a wine importer in Japan. Robuchon was survived by his wife, his three children and four grandchildren.

Legacy Robuchon has been 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.

Robuchon has been known for the relentless perfectionism of his cuisine; he said there is no such thing as the perfect meal – one can always do better. He was instrumental in leading French cuisine forward from the excessive reductionism of nouvelle cuisine toward a post-modern amalgam of the nouvelle, international influences – especially Japanese cuisine – and even select traditions of haute cuisine. In particular, his style of cooking was often seen as of celebrating the intrinsic qualities of the best, seasonal ingredients (dubbed "cuisine actuelle" by Patricia Wells in her book, Simply French). Drawing his inspiration firstly from the simplicity of Japanese cuisine, he led the way in creating a more delicate style respectful of natural food ingredients.

Restaurants

Joël Robuchon restaurants are present worldwide: +NameMichelin ratingChefLocationRegionL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonJulien Tongourian Hong KongAsiaLe Jardin de Joël RobuchonJulien Tongourian TaipeiSalon de Thé de Joël RobuchonYohei Matsuo Tokyo in the Château of the Yebisu Garden PlaceLa Table de Joël RobuchonSalon de Thé de Joël RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonTokyo in Roppongi HillsL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonDubai Middle East and AfricaLe Deli RobuchonLa Méditerranée RobuchonLe Clubhouse RobuchonRabatLe Café RobuchonLe Grill RobuchonLe Deli RobuchonCasablancaLa Boulangerie RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonGenevaEuropeLe Deli Robuchon PiccadillyLondonLe Deli Robuchon King's RoadLe Deli RobuchonMonacoLe Café RobuchonL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon ÉtoileParisL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonRobuchon MadridMadridLe Deli RobuchonCyprusL'Atelier Robuchon Joël Robuchon Eleazar Villanueva Las VegasAmericasL'Atelier de Joël Robuchon David Lee L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon James Friedberg MiamiL'Atelier de Joël RobuchonSt BarthsLe Daily Robuchon Robuchon's restaurants in Tokyo are located in the Château of the Yebisu Garden Place.

Michelin-starred restaurants associated with Joël Robuchon and their highest rating

Awards Meilleur ouvrier de France, 1976 Legion of Honour Knight in 1993; Officer in 2003 Best French Restaurant, Best Chef in Las Vegas, Las Vegas Life International Epicurean Awards "Hot Tables", CondeNast Traveller Five-Star Award, 2006–2011 Forbes 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 Robuchon has published numerous cookbooks in French and English, some of which are:

Simply French: Patricia Wells Presents the Cuisine of Joel Robuchon Tout Robuchon (published as The Complete Robuchon in English) Joël Robuchon Cooking Through the Seasons La Cuisine de Joël Robuchon: A Seasonal Cookbook L'Atelier of Joël Robuchon: The Artistry of a Master Chef and His Protégés Le Grand Larousse Gastronomique Food and Life My Best: Joël Robuchon Grand Livre de Cuisine de Joël Robuchon French Regional Food Robuchon Facile Le Meilleur & Le Plus Simple de Robuchon: 130 recettes Le Meilleur & Le Plus Simple de la France: 130 recettes Le Meilleur & Le Plus Simple de la pomme de terre: 100 recettes Ma Cuisine Pour Vous Cuisine des Quatre Saisons Larousse Vegetables & Salads Emotions Gourmandes Les Dimanches de Joël Robuchon Il Grande Libro di Cucina di Joël Robuchon Best of Joel Robuchon Bon Appétit Bien Sûr: 150 recettes à faire à la maison