Olivier Elzer facts for kids

Olivier Elzer (born April 18, 1979) is a famous French chef. He is known for his amazing cooking skills. In 2007, a guide called Gault Millau named him one of the top young chefs in France. Over 16 years, he earned a total of 25 Michelin stars. These stars are a very special award for restaurants. Chef Elzer has worked in many top restaurants. He was the head chef at Pierre in Hong Kong. He also worked at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon. Later, he opened his own restaurant called Seasons by Olivier E. In 2018, he started L'Envol, a modern French restaurant. L'Envol has earned two Michelin stars. In 2022, he opened a more casual restaurant called Clarence. That same year, he received a special award from France. It was called the Knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit.

Early Life and Training

Olivier Elzer was born in Koblenz, Germany. He grew up in a region of France called Alsace. He went to a cooking school called CFA Nérée à Cannes. In 1998, he earned his cooking diplomas there.

Chef Elzer started his training very early. From 1996 to 1997, he learned from Christian Métral. This was at a French restaurant called L'Auberge du Jarrier. Then, from 1997 to 1998, he trained with Yves Merville. This was at Le Panorama restaurant in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Becoming a Chef

Elzer began his professional cooking career in 1999. He worked as a junior chef at La Palme d'Or. This restaurant had two Michelin stars. From 2000 to 2001, he worked at other famous restaurants. These included La Terasse and Au Crocodile. Au Crocodile had three Michelin stars, which is the highest award.

Between 2001 and 2005, he became a sous chef. This means he was a senior chef who helped the head chef. He worked at places like La Pyramide and Les Elysees. These restaurants also had two Michelin stars.

Head Chef Achievements

In 2006, Olivier Elzer became a head chef. He worked at Abbaye De La Bussière. In 2007, he earned his very first Michelin star there. He kept this star in 2008.

In 2009, he moved to Hong Kong. He became the head chef at Pierre Restaurant. This restaurant was by the famous chef Pierre Gagnaire. It had two Michelin stars. Chef Elzer helped it keep those stars in 2010 and 2011.

From 2011 to 2014, he was the head chef at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong. This restaurant was very special. It earned three Michelin stars from 2012 to 2014. This is a huge achievement in the cooking world.

In 2014, Chef Elzer opened his own restaurant. It was called Seasons by Olivier E in Hong Kong. He earned one Michelin star for this restaurant every year from 2014 to 2017. People loved his cooking because he mixed French dishes with Asian ideas. The Michelin guide said his dishes were "full of verve and originality." His restaurant was also named one of the Top 20 by Tatler Hong Kong.

In 2018, Chef Elzer started a new project. He signed a deal with Marriott Group. This led to the opening of L'Envol. It is a fancy dining restaurant at the St. Regis Hong Kong. L'Envol opened in April 2019. Chef Elzer became the main chef there. The restaurant quickly earned a Michelin star in 2019. Then, it earned two Michelin stars in 2020.

In 2021, Chef Elzer created a new French restaurant concept. He named it Clarence. In 2022, he worked with Louis Vuitton. He was the first celebrity chef to do this. They opened a restaurant in Chengdu, China, called The Hall. It serves French and Mediterranean food.

In 2022, Chef Elzer received a special honor. The French Republic awarded him the Knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit. This award recognizes his great contributions to French food.