Eric Ripert facts for kids

Eric Ripert, born on March 2, 1965, is a famous French chef. He is also an author and a TV star. He is known for cooking amazing modern French food, especially seafood.

His main restaurant is called Le Bernardin. It is in New York City. Many food experts say it is one of the best restaurants in the world. In 2023, it was even ranked number one on a list called "La Liste". Le Bernardin has earned the highest ratings: four stars from The New York Times and three stars from the Michelin Guide.

Early Life and Learning to Cook

Eric Ripert was born in France. He started learning to cook when he was very young. His mother taught him many things in the kitchen. When he was a child, his family moved to Andorra. He grew up there. At 15, Eric left home to go to a special cooking school. This school was in Perpignan, France.

Eric Ripert's Cooking Journey

When Eric was 17, he moved to Paris, France. He worked at a very old and famous restaurant called La Tour d'Argent. He stayed there for two years. After that, Ripert worked at another restaurant called Jamin. He worked for a famous chef named Joël Robuchon. Eric quickly became an Assistant Chef de Partie. This means he helped manage a part of the kitchen.

In 1989, Eric Ripert moved to the United States. He got a job in Washington, D.C. He worked at the Watergate Hotel's restaurant. In 1991, he moved to New York City. There, he worked for a short time with Chef David Bouley. Soon after, Maguy Le Coze and Gilbert Le Coze asked him to be a chef at their restaurant, Le Bernardin.

In 1994, Eric became the main chef, or executive chef, at Le Bernardin. This happened after Gilbert Le Coze sadly passed away. The next year, when Eric was just 29, his restaurant earned a four-star rating from The New York Times. This is a very high honor! In 1996, he became a part-owner of Le Bernardin.

In 2006, Le Bernardin was one of only four restaurants in New York City to get the highest award from the Michelin Guide. It received three Michelin stars for its amazing food. Le Bernardin also got four stars from The New York Times six times in a row. This shows how consistently excellent the restaurant is. Eric Ripert is now known as one of the greatest chefs in New York and around the world.

In September 2014, Ripert and Maguy Le Coze opened a new place. It was called Aldo Sohm Wine Bar. It was named after their wine expert, Aldo Sohm. At the same time, they also made Le Bernardin bigger. They added special rooms for private dining events.

Eric Ripert on TV

Eric Ripert has been on many cooking TV shows. He was a guest judge and helper chef on Top Chef. This show is on Bravo TV. He appeared in seasons two, three, four, and five. Eric also appeared in many episodes of shows with his friend, Anthony Bourdain. These shows included A Cook's Tour, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.

In September 2009, Eric's own TV show started. It was called Avec Eric. It was shown on PBS stations. The show ran for two seasons. It won two Daytime Emmy Awards! One was for Outstanding Culinary Program in 2011. The other was for its great design in 2010. Avec Eric came back for a third season in 2015. You can now watch it on iTunes and Netflix.

Ripert also made short cooking videos online. They were called "Get Toasted." These videos showed how to make quick and easy meals. You could cook them in minutes using a toaster oven. In 2010, he played himself in a TV show called Treme on HBO. He appeared with other famous chefs like David Chang and Tom Colicchio. He also appeared in the second season of the show.

In 2017, Eric Ripert was featured in a Netflix show. It was called Chef's Table. He appeared in an episode about a chef named Jeong Kwan.

Books by Eric Ripert

Eric Ripert has written several cookbooks. In 1998, his first cookbook came out. It was called Le Bernardin – Four Star Simplicity. In 2002, he released A Return to Cooking. This book was a team effort with photographers and a writer. Newsweek magazine even picked it as one of the best books that season.

In 2008, Ripert published his second cookbook, On the Line. In 2014, he released My Best: Eric Ripert. His memoir, 32 Yolks: From My Mother's Table to Working the Line, came out in 2016. A memoir is a book about a person's life. This book became a bestseller on The New York Times list.

Helping Others: Philanthropy

For three years, Eric Ripert has hosted a special dinner. It is called Taste & Tribute New York. This event helps the Tibetan Aid Project. It takes place at his restaurant, Le Bernardin, in Manhattan. The money raised at these dinners helps bring Tibetan-language books back to libraries. These libraries are all over the Himalayan region. So far, this project has given out almost two million traditional Buddhist books. This is one of the biggest free book giveaways ever!

Awards and Honors

Eric Ripert and Le Bernardin have won many awards:

• Ranked #1 Restaurant in the World by La Liste
• Four stars from The New York Times (since 1995)
• Three stars from the Michelin Guide (since 2005)
• Listed among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants (since 2006)
• Four stars from Forbes All-Star Eateries (since 2000)
• AAA Five Diamond award from the American Automobile Association (since 2013)
• Mentor Chef Award from the Michelin Guide (2022)
• "Best Restaurant in America" by GQ (1997)
• "Best Food in New York City" by Zagat (2000–2007)
• "Outstanding Restaurant of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation (1998)
• "Top Chef in New York City" by the James Beard Foundation (1998)
• "Outstanding Service Award" by the James Beard Foundation (1999)
• "Outstanding Chef of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation (2003)

Eric Ripert's Personal Life

Eric Ripert is married to Sandra (her maiden name was Nieves). They have a son together.

Eric is a Buddhist. He meditates for an hour every morning. Meditation is a way to calm your mind.

Eric Ripert was very good friends with another famous chef, Anthony Bourdain. Eric read Anthony's book Kitchen Confidential in 2000. It was the first book Eric read in English. After reading it, he called Anthony. They met and became good friends. Eric first appeared on TV with Anthony on A Cook's Tour in 2002. Anthony Bourdain featured Eric's restaurant, Le Bernardin, on his show No Reservations. Eric was often a guest on that show and on Parts Unknown. Anthony also supported Eric's writing career. Eric even introduced Anthony to his second wife, Ottavia Busia.