Alexis Gauthier facts for kids
| Born | 24 June 1973 Avignon, Provence, France |
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| Cooking style | French cuisine |
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Alexis Gauthier is a famous French chef. He was born on June 24, 1973. He owns a restaurant in London called Gauthier Soho. This restaurant earned a special award called a Michelin star in 2011. Before that, he also had a Michelin star at another restaurant named Roussillon. Alexis Gauthier learned to cook from a very famous chef, Alain Ducasse, in Monaco. He has also been a judge on the TV show MasterChef. In 2016, he decided to become a vegan. By 2021, his restaurant Gauthier Soho offered only vegan food. He also opened a vegan cafeteria called 123 Vegan.
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Alexis Gauthier's Journey as a Chef
Alexis Gauthier started his cooking career in 1991. His first job was at the Hotel Negresco in Nice, France. From 1993 to 1996, he worked with the legendary chef Alain Ducasse. This was at Ducasse's famous Le Louis XV restaurant in Monaco.
Working at Roussillon
In 1998, Alexis Gauthier moved to London. He became the head chef at a restaurant called Roussillon in Pimlico. The restaurant was relaunched when he arrived. In 2000, Roussillon was awarded a Michelin star. This is a very high honor for a restaurant. It also won the Time Out "Best Vegetarian Award" in 2000 and 2001.
During the Bird Flu pandemic in 2005, Gauthier made a big change. He removed chicken, pigeon, and foie gras from his menu. This was because fewer people wanted to eat these items. Alexis Gauthier left Roussillon in 2010. He wanted to open his own restaurant. Roussillon later closed in 2012.
Opening Gauthier Soho
After leaving Roussillon, Gauthier opened his new restaurant. It was named Gauthier Soho. It opened in a spot that used to be another restaurant. Gauthier completely renovated the place. He even turned the ground floor into a wine shop. Just one year after opening, Gauthier Soho also earned a Michelin star.
His Cooking Style
Alexis Gauthier has a unique way of cooking. He does not use timers or scales to measure cooking time. Instead, he touches the food to know if it is ready. He also loves to make vegetables the star of his dishes. He believes vegetables can be as exciting as meat or fish. He once said, "if they have the right texture you can play with vegetables like meat or fish."
Becoming Vegan
In 2015, Gauthier made a significant change to his menu. His special vegetable menu became completely vegan. This menu, called 'Les Plantes', won 'Best Vegan Menu' at the PETA Food Awards in 2016. Alexis Gauthier himself became a vegan in 2016. He now strongly supports plant-based eating. He is working to make all his restaurants fully plant-based.
Television Appearances
Alexis Gauthier has appeared on popular TV shows. In October 2009, he was a judge on BBC One's MasterChef: The Professionals. He judged alongside Gregg Wallace and Michel Roux Jr.. He also appeared on the regular MasterChef series. He was a judge with Gregg Wallace and John Torode in March 2011 and again in March 2019.
Personal Life
In October 2010, Alexis Gauthier was diagnosed with a fatty liver. This health news led him to reduce his calorie intake. He also started listing calorie counts on his menu at Gauthier Soho.
