Joël Robuchon facts for kids
Joël Robuchon, September 2010
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| Born | 7 April 1945 Poitiers, France |
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| Died | 6 August 2018 (aged 73) Geneva, Switzerland |
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Rating(s)
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Current restaurant(s)
Joël Robuchon (Las Vegas)
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (Gustavia, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Macau, Miami, Monaco, Paris, Taipei, Tokyo, Singapore, and Shanghai) La Table de Joël Robuchon & Le Chateau de Joël Robuchon (Paris, Shanghai and Tokyo) |
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Previous restaurant(s)
Bankgkok, Jamin, London, Montreal, New York City
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Television show(s)
Cuisinez comme un grand chef (TF1, 1996–1999)
Bon appetit, bien sûr (France 3, 2000) |
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Award(s) won
Officer of the Legion d'honneur
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| Official website | |
| jrobuchon.com | |
Joël Robuchon (born April 7, 1945 – died August 6, 2018) was a famous French chef and restaurant owner. He was known as the "Chef of the Century" by the Gault Millau guide in 1989. He also won the "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" award in 1976, which means he was recognized as one of France's best workers in his craft.
Robuchon wrote many cookbooks, and some were translated into English. He also led the committee for the important Larousse Gastronomique cookbook. He even hosted cooking shows on French TV! He owned more than a dozen restaurants around the world. In 2016, his restaurants had a total of 32 Michelin Guide stars. This was the most stars ever held by any chef.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Joël Robuchon was born in 1945 in Poitiers, France. He was one of four children. His father worked as a bricklayer. When he was young, he thought about becoming a priest.
In 1960, at age 15, he started as an apprentice chef. He began learning to bake pastries at the Relais de Poitiers hotel.
Learning from the Best
After turning 21, Robuchon joined a special program called "Compagnon du Tour de France." This allowed him to travel all over France. He learned many different cooking styles and techniques from various regions.
At 29, Robuchon became the head chef at the Hôtel Concorde La Fayette. He was in charge of 90 cooks there! In 1976, he won the "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" award for his amazing cooking skills. Later, while working at the Nikko hotel in Paris, he earned two Michelin stars.
Opening His Own Restaurants
In 1981, Joël Robuchon opened his very own restaurant called Jamin. It quickly became famous. Jamin earned three Michelin stars in its first three years. This is a very rare achievement! In 1984, the International Herald Tribune newspaper named Jamin the "Best Restaurant in the World."
From 1987 to 1990, he often appeared on French cooking shows. In 1989, the famous Gault Millau restaurant guide called him the "Chef of the Century." He also taught and guided many other famous chefs. These included Gordon Ramsay, Eric Ripert, and Michael Caines.
A Brief Retirement and Comeback
In 1995, at age 50, Robuchon decided to retire. He saw many other chefs facing health problems from stress. After a short break, he made a comeback. He opened several new restaurants around the world, all named after him.
He hosted a TV show called Cuisinez comme un grand chef from 1996 to 1999. In 2000, he hosted Bon appétit bien sûr. Through all his restaurants, he gathered a total of 32 Michelin Guide stars. This was more than any other chef in the world!
In June 2018, two of his restaurants in Singapore closed. Joël Robuchon passed away from cancer on August 6, 2018. He was 73 years old.
Family Life
Joël Robuchon married his wife, Jeanine, in 1966. They had two children together: a son named Eric and a daughter named Sophie. Eric is a foot doctor in Paris. Sophie manages a restaurant in France with her husband, François Kartheiser. Robuchon also had another son, Louis, who owns a wine import company in Japan. He was survived by his wife, his three children, and four grandchildren.
His Impact on Cooking
Joël Robuchon was a very important French chef after the "nouvelle cuisine" era. He was known for always trying to make his food perfect. He believed there was no such thing as a perfect meal, and you could always do better.
He helped French cooking move forward. He mixed new ideas with influences from other countries, especially Japan. He also brought back some older cooking traditions. His style of cooking focused on celebrating the natural flavors of the best, fresh ingredients. He was inspired by the simple beauty of Japanese food. He helped create a more delicate cooking style that respected natural food ingredients.
Joël Robuchon Restaurants
Joël Robuchon's restaurants are located all over the world:
Restaurants in Asia
- Dubai – L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
- Hong Kong – L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (3 Michelin stars), Salon de Thé de Joël Robuchon
- Macau – Robuchon au Dôme (3 Michelin stars)
- Shanghai – L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin stars), Salon de Thé de Joël Robuchon
- Taipei – L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin star), Salon de Thé de Joël Robuchon
- Tokyo – L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (1 Michelin star), La Table de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin stars), Le Chateau de Joël Robuchon (3 Michelin stars)
Restaurants in Europe
- Bordeaux – La Grande Maison de Joël Robuchon
- London – L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (1 Michelin star), La Cuisine de Joël Robuchon (1 Michelin star)
- Monaco – Restaurant de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin stars), Yoshi (1 Michelin star)
- Paris – L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (1 Michelin star), La Table de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin stars)
Restaurants in North America
- Las Vegas – Joël Robuchon, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
- Miami – L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon (2 Michelin stars)
Some of his restaurants that have closed include those in Bangkok, Singapore, Montreal, and New York City.
Awards and Honors
Joël Robuchon received many awards for his amazing cooking:
- 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 by Joël Robuchon
Here are some of the many cookbooks Joël Robuchon published:
- Simply French: Patricia Wells Presents the Cuisine of Joel Robuchon
- Tout Robuchon (also known 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
See also
In Spanish: Joël Robuchon para niños
- List of Michelin starred restaurants
- L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
