Paul Liebrandt facts for kids
Chef Paul Liebrandt
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| Born | 26 August 1976 Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) |
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| Cooking style | Modern French |
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Paul Liebrandt is a famous British chef and restaurant owner. He used to own the Corton restaurant in New York City. He was also featured in a documentary film called A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt. Chef Liebrandt is known for his brave and creative cooking style. He has won two Michelin stars, which are like special awards for great restaurants.
He was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia (which is now Harare, Zimbabwe) on August 26, 1976. He grew up in London, England. After gaining lots of experience in fancy restaurants in London and Paris, he moved to New York in 1999.
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Becoming a Chef: Paul's Journey
When he was 15, Paul Liebrandt thought about joining the British Army, like his father. But his path changed. After his parents divorced when he was eleven, he went to St. George's School in Harpenden, England.
In 1992, at age 16, he started working as an assistant chef, called a commis chef, at L'Escargot in London. This was the start of his amazing career in cooking.
Learning from the Best Chefs
In 1995, Paul worked as an assistant chef at The Restaurant Marco Pierre White. At that time, Marco Pierre White was the youngest chef to earn three Michelin stars. This was a huge learning experience for Paul.
Later, Paul worked at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons near Oxford, England. This restaurant had two Michelin stars and was run by Chef Raymond Blanc. After that, Paul moved to Paris, France. There, he worked with Chef Pierre Gagnaire at his restaurant, which had three Michelin stars.
In 1999, Paul Liebrandt moved to New York. He worked as a sous chef (a senior assistant chef) at Bouley Bakery.
Leading the Kitchen at Atlas
In 2000, Paul Liebrandt became the main chef, known as the executive chef, at a restaurant called Atlas. He was only 24 years old. At Atlas, he earned a three-star review from The New York Times. This made him the youngest chef ever to get such a high rating from the newspaper!
He later left Atlas because he disagreed with the owners about the menu. He then went to work at a bistro called Papillon.
Papillon and Unique Dining
While at Papillon, Paul Liebrandt earned a two-star rating from The New York Times. He also became known for his unique and sometimes unusual ideas. For example, he once had diners eat their special prix fixe meals while blindfolded. Paul explained that this was the pastry chef's idea and only happened twice.
Paul left Papillon after a few months. The restaurant decided to change his creative menu to more common "burgers and fries." This was because after the 9/11 events, people wanted more comforting food. After leaving, he started his own consulting company and even worked as a private chef for important people like Prince Andrew.
Gilt: A New Level of Cooking
Gilt restaurant opened in December 2005 in the New York Palace Hotel. Paul Liebrandt was chosen to be the executive chef there. This allowed him to create a menu that was very advanced and creative. Another famous chef, Thomas Keller, said Paul's cooking was "light years" ahead. Gilt also received a two-star review from The New York Times.
Corton: Earning Michelin Stars
After leaving Gilt, Paul Liebrandt worked independently for a short time. Then, in October 2008, he opened his own restaurant called Corton in Tribeca, New York.
Corton quickly earned two stars in the 2009 New York City Michelin Guide. Paul's food at Corton was still very imaginative, but a little less extreme than before. People often had to make reservations months in advance to eat there. Corton closed in July 2013 when Chef Liebrandt left to open a new restaurant called The Elm in Brooklyn.
A Matter of Taste: The Documentary
Paul Liebrandt was the main person in a documentary film called A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt. The film was directed by Sally Rowe. It followed Paul's career in New York for ten years. The movie first showed on HBO on June 13, 2011. In 2012, the film was nominated for an Emmy award for Best Cultural Programming.
Paul also appeared as a guest judge on Season 15 of the TV show Top Chef.
Awards and Recognition
Paul Liebrandt has received many awards and special recognition throughout his career.
- Youngest Three Star Chef, The New York Times, 2000
- The Best and the Brightest, Esquire, 2002
- Two Stars, Corton, Michelin Guide, 2009
- Best New Chef, Food and Wine, 2009
See also
