Marcel Desaulniers facts for kids
| Born | August 2, 1945 Woonsocket, Rhode Island, United States |
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| Died | May 28, 2024 Williamsburg, Virginia, United States |
| Cooking style | American, Slow Food, Chocolate |
| Education | Culinary Institute of America |
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Current restaurant(s)
Mad about Chocolate, Williamsburg, Virginia
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Previous restaurant(s)
The Trellis, Williamsburg, Virginia (1980 – 2010)
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Television show(s)
The Burgermeisters, Death by Chocolate
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Marcel Desaulniers (born August 2, 1945 – died May 28, 2024) was a famous American chef. He was known for his amazing chocolate desserts. People even called him the "Guru of Ganache" because he loved chocolate so much!
Marcel Desaulniers owned a restaurant called The Trellis in Williamsburg, Virginia. He also wrote many cookbooks, including the very popular Death by Chocolate. He was a director at the Culinary Institute of America, which is a top cooking school.
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About Marcel Desaulniers
Marcel Desaulniers was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He lived in Williamsburg with his wife, Connie, who is an artist. He went to Mount Saint Charles Academy and then studied cooking at the Culinary Institute of America.
He also served in the United States Marine Corps. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War.
His daughter, Danielle Desaulniers, also became a professional in the food world. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America, just like her dad. She worked in famous restaurants in San Francisco and New York City.
Marcel's Cooking Career
His Restaurants
In 1980, Marcel Desaulniers opened The Trellis Restaurant. It was located in Merchants Square in colonial Williamsburg. This restaurant became very well-known.
After 29 years, Marcel and his business partner sold The Trellis. The restaurant was even added to the Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame in 1995.
Later, Marcel and Connie Desaulniers opened a new business. It was called MAD about Chocolate. They opened it on April 24, 2012. At MAD about Chocolate, you could find Marcel's delicious desserts. They sold cookies, cakes, ice cream, and other sweet and savory treats. The shop also showed off Connie Desaulniers' art. They sold this business in February 2016.
Television Shows
Marcel Desaulniers was also a star on television! He hosted several cooking shows. Some of his shows were "The Burgermeister" and "Death by Chocolate."
He also appeared on other popular cooking shows. He was on Julia Child's show, Baking with Julia. He also appeared on PBS cooking shows like Cook-off America and Grilling Maestros.
Cookbooks and Chocolate Love
Marcel Desaulniers wrote 10 cookbooks. His most famous book was Death by Chocolate, which came out in 1992. He really loved cooking with chocolate. He especially loved chocolate ganache, which is a rich, creamy chocolate mixture.
Because of his focus on chocolate, he earned the nickname "Guru of Ganache." A "guru" is someone who is an expert or a master in something.
Awards and Special Honors
Marcel Desaulniers received many awards for his cooking and his restaurants. Here are some of them:
- Ivy Award for The Trellis from Restaurants and Institutions Magazine in 1989.
- Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic from the James Beard Foundation in 1993.
- Best Pastry Chef: Mid-Atlantic from the James Beard Foundation.
- Best Dessert Book for Death by Chocolate from the James Beard Foundation in 1993.
- Best Single Subject Cookbook for The Burger Meisters from the James Beard Foundation in 1995.
- Lifetime Achievement Award from the Culinary Institute of America in 1996.
- Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 1999.
- Honor Roll of American Chefs from Food & Wine Magazine.
