Olivier Elzer facts for kids

Olivier Elzer (born on April 18, 1979) is a famous French chef. He was named one of the top young chefs in France by the Gault Millau guide in 2007. Chef Elzer has earned an amazing 30 Michelin stars over 16 years! He worked in France and Hong Kong. He is known for leading kitchens at top restaurants like Pierre at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Hong Kong, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, and his own restaurant, Seasons by Olivier E. In 2018, he opened L'Envol, a modern French restaurant in Hong Kong, which now has two Michelin stars. In 2022, he also started a more casual restaurant called Clarence. Chef Elzer was honored with the Knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit award from France in 2022.

Early Life and Learning

Olivier Elzer was born in Koblenz, Germany. He grew up in Alsace, France. He went to school at CFA Nérée à Cannes. He earned his cooking diplomas in 1998.

He started learning to cook in 1996. He trained with Christian Métral at L'Auberge du Jarrier. This was a French restaurant in Biot. From 1997 to 1998, he trained with Yves Merville. This was at Le Panorama, a restaurant in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Chef's Journey

Elzer began his professional cooking career in 1999. He started as a junior chef, called a commis, at La Palme d'Or. This restaurant had two Michelin stars. From 2000 to 2001, he worked at La Terasse and Au Crocodile. Au Crocodile had three Michelin stars! He was a chef de partie, which means he was in charge of a specific section of the kitchen.

From 2001 to 2005, he worked as a sous chef. This is like a second-in-command chef. He worked at famous restaurants like La Pyramide and Les Elysees. These restaurants had two Michelin stars.

Becoming a Head Chef

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

In 2009, he moved to Hong Kong. He became the head chef at Pierre Restaurant. This restaurant had two Michelin stars. He helped it keep its two stars in 2010 and 2011.

From 2011 to 2014, Elzer was the head chef at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong. This restaurant earned three Michelin stars while he was there!

In 2014, Chef Elzer opened his own restaurant in Hong Kong. It was called Seasons by Olivier E. He earned one Michelin star for Seasons every year from 2014 to 2017. People loved his creative French dishes. He often added Asian flavors to classic French recipes. The Michelin guide said his dishes were "full of verve and originality." Seasons was also named one of the Top 20 Restaurants by Tatler Hong Kong.

In 2018, Elzer partnered with Marriott Group. He opened L'Envol, a fancy restaurant at the St. Regis Hong Kong. L'Envol opened in April 2019. Chef Elzer became the Culinary Director and Executive Chef there. L'Envol quickly earned one Michelin star in 2019-2020. Then, it earned two Michelin stars in 2020-2021!

In 2021, Chef Elzer started another new restaurant concept. It is a modern French dining spot called Clarence. In 2022, he also worked with Louis Vuitton. He helped open their first restaurant in Chengdu, China, called The Hall. This restaurant mixes French and Mediterranean cooking styles.

In 2022, Chef Elzer received a special award from the French government. He was made a Knight in the Order of Agricultural Merit. This is a big honor for people who do great things in farming and food.

Running a Business

In 2016, Olivier Elzer started his own company. It is called Olivier Colony Limited. This company helps other restaurants and hotels. They offer advice and services for food and drink businesses. They work with big hotel groups like Marriott, Hilton, and Kempinski.