Roger Vergé facts for kids
| Born | 7 April 1930 Commentry, Allier, France |
|---|---|
| Died | 5 June 2015 (aged 85) Mougins, France |
| Cooking style | |
| Spouse | Denise Vergé |
|
Rating(s)
|
|
|
Previous restaurant(s)
|
|
Roger Vergé (born April 7, 1930 – died June 5, 2015) was a famous French chef and restaurant owner. Many people thought he was one of the best chefs of his time. A well-known food guide, Gault Millau, even called him "the perfect example of a great French chef for people from other countries."
Contents
Early Life and Training
Roger Vergé was born on April 7, 1930, in a town called Commentry in central France. His father was a blacksmith. Roger said he learned to love cooking from his aunt Célestine. He even dedicated many of his cookbooks to her.
He started his cooking journey working for Alexis Chanier at a restaurant called Le Bourbonnais. He also trained at very famous restaurants like the Tour d'Argent and the Plaza Athénée in Paris. After that, he traveled and worked in restaurants in Africa, including places in Morocco, Algeria, and Kenya. When he returned to Europe, he worked in fancy hotels in Monaco and France.
Roger Vergé also loved art. He was friends with many artists, and they would show their artwork in his restaurant. He passed away on June 5, 2015, at the age of 85.
Roger Vergé's Cooking Style
Vergé was famous for his modern way of cooking. He often called it cuisine du soleil, which means "cooking of the sun." This style was a special kind of Provençal cuisine, which comes from the south of France.
He is also known for helping to create nouvelle cuisine, along with other famous chefs like Paul Bocuse. Nouvelle cuisine was a new way of cooking that focused on fresh, local ingredients. It was different from older, more traditional French cooking styles.
Roger Vergé believed in "cuisine heureuse," or "happy cooking." He wrote that this style was "lighthearted, healthy and natural." It was about combining fresh ingredients "like a bouquet of wild flowers from the garden."
To teach his cooking style, he started a cooking school called l'École de Cuisine du Soleil Roger Vergé. It was located in one of his restaurants in Mougins.
Even though he helped create nouvelle cuisine, Vergé didn't like it when chefs took it too far. He once said that some of it looked "Japanese: large dishes, small portions, no taste, but very expensive." He believed in good taste and fresh ingredients.
His Restaurants and Other Projects
In 1969, Roger Vergé opened his most famous restaurant, Moulin de Mougins, with his wife Denise. This restaurant became one of France's top places to eat. Many future famous chefs, like Alain Ducasse and Daniel Boulud, trained there. Because it was close to Cannes, many celebrities visiting for the film festival would come to eat at his restaurant.
In 1977, he opened another restaurant in Mougins called L’Amandier de Mougins. This one focused more on cuisine Niçoise, which is the cooking style from the city of Nice.
In 1982, Roger Vergé teamed up with Paul Bocuse and Gaston Lenôtre to open Les Chefs de France at Walt Disney World's Epcot. This restaurant is still popular today! He also opened a restaurant in Rockefeller Center in New York City in 2001, but he left it after less than a year.
Roger Vergé stopped cooking professionally in 2003. He gave his main restaurant, Le Moulin de Mougins, to another French chef, Alain Llorca.
In 2004, Roger Vergé appeared in a documentary film called Monet's Palate. He was in it with famous people like Meryl Streep and other well-known chefs.
Awards and Recognition
Roger Vergé received many important awards for his cooking.
- In 1970, 1972, and 1974, his restaurant Moulin de Mougins earned three Michelin stars. This is one of the highest honors a restaurant can get!
- In 1972, he was named Meilleur Ouvrier de France, which means "Best Craftsman of France" for his cooking skills.
- In 1987, he was given the title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. This is a very high award in France. He was also named a Maître Cuisinier de France, or "Master Chef of France."
In September 2006, the first International Gastronomy Festival of Mougins was held. This special food festival was dedicated to Roger Vergé.
Cookbooks
Roger Vergé wrote several cookbooks. His most famous one is Ma Cuisine du Soleil (1978), which was translated into English as Cuisine of the Sun. He also wrote a series of books with titles that were a fun play on words, like:
- Ma cuisine du soleil (1978) also known as Cuisine of the South of France.
- Les Fêtes de Mon Moulin (1993), which means "The Celebrations of My Mill." In English, it was called Entertaining in the French Style.
- Les Légumes de Mon Moulin (1994), meaning "The Vegetables of My Mill." In English, it was Roger Vergé's Vegetables in the French Style.
- Les Tables de Mon Moulin (1998), meaning "The Tables of My Mill." In English, it was New Entertaining in the French Style.
- Les Fruits de Mon Moulin (1999), meaning "The Fruits of My Mill." In English, it was Roger Vergé's Cooking with Fruit.
See also
In Spanish: Roger Vergé para niños
