Roland Passot facts for kids
Passot at a staff appreciation dinner
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| Born | Villefranche-sur-Saône, France |
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| Cooking style | French |
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Rating(s)
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Current restaurant(s)
La Folie, Left Bank,LB STEAK Santana Row, LBSTEAK Bishop Ranch, San Ramon, MESO Mediterranean restaurant, Santana Row
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Award(s) won
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Roland Passot is a famous chef and restaurateur from France. He is known for his amazing French cooking. His most famous restaurant was called La Folie. It was open in San Francisco from 1988 to 2020. He also owns other popular restaurants like Left Bank Brasseries and LB Steak. A food critic once called him one of the "eight wonders of Bay Area dining."
Early Life and Training
Roland Passot was born in 1955 in Villefranche-sur-Saône, a town in France. He started learning to cook at a very young age. When he was just 14, he began working as an assistant in a restaurant in Lyon. He went to cooking school there too.
He learned from famous chefs like Paul Lacombe and Jean Banchet. Chef Banchet was a big influence on Roland. In 1979, Roland moved to the United States to work in a French restaurant near Chicago, Illinois. Later, he helped open another French restaurant in Dallas, Texas.
Roland's Restaurants
In 1988, Roland Passot opened his own restaurant, La Folie, in San Francisco. He started it with his wife, Jamie, and his brother, Georges. The name "La Folie" means "craziness" or "folly" in French. His wife chose the name because opening a new restaurant in San Francisco was a big challenge!
La Folie was a family business. His wife managed the restaurant, and his brother was the wine expert. Over time, La Folie became very well-known. By 2000, it was one of the top restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was famous for its modern French food, using classic cooking methods but with fresh, local ingredients.
After 32 years, La Folie closed in 2020. Roland said it was time for him to let the next generation of chefs take over.
Roland also helped open Left Bank restaurants starting in 1994. These restaurants serve French home-style cooking, like food your grandmother might make. Later, in 2009, his restaurant group opened LB Steak, which is a modern American steakhouse.
Awards and Influence
Roland Passot is known for his modern French cooking style. He likes to stick to classic techniques and avoids new trends like "molecular gastronomy." He is also a great mentor to young chefs. Many successful chefs today say Roland Passot inspired them or taught them a lot.
Roland has received many awards for his cooking. In 1991, he became a member of the Maitres Cuisiniers de France, which is a group of master French chefs. His restaurant, La Folie, won awards for "Best Food" and "Best French restaurant." He also won a James Beard Award early in his career.
In 2001, the French Government gave him a special award called the "Chevalier dans l’Ordre du Mèrite Agricole" for his contributions to agriculture and food. There's even a special type of caviar named after him!
Personal Life
Roland Passot met his wife, Jamie, while she was working at a hotel in Irving, Texas. They have two children, Charlotte and Jean Paul. Roland is known for being friendly and social. He often takes part in cooking shows, charity events, and television appearances. He is passionate about food and sharing his love for cooking.
