Joël Robuchon

Joël Robuchon (7 April 1945 – 6 August 2018) was a French chef and restaurateur. In 1989, the Gault Millau guide named him "Chef of the Century," and he had already been awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France in cuisine in 1976. He wrote several cookbooks, two of which appeared in English, chaired the committee for the Larousse Gastronomique, and hosted cooking shows on French television. His restaurants spanned cities including Bangkok, Bordeaux, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Macau, Madrid, Monaco, Montreal, Paris, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and New York City. By the time he died, his restaurants held 31 Michelin stars—more than any other restaurateur—and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest chefs ever.

Robuchon was born in Poitiers in 1945, one of four children of a bricklayer. He attended a seminary in Châtillon-sur-Sèvre and briefly considered becoming a cleric, but discovered his love of cooking while helping nuns prepare food. At 15, he became an apprentice pastry chef at the Relais de Poitiers hotel. During his apprenticeship, he won five cooking medals before turning 20. He made his first trip to Japan with his mentor, Michelin-starred chef Jean Delaveyne, and like him, incorporated Japanese tradition and influence into his cooking throughout his career.

At 21, he joined the Compagnon du Tour de France apprenticeship, traveling across the country to learn regional techniques. At 29, he became head chef at the Hôtel Concorde La Fayette, managing 90 cooks. In 1976, he won the Meilleur Ouvrier de France. While working as executive chef and food and beverage manager at the Nikko hotel in Paris, he earned two Michelin stars. In 1981, he opened his own restaurant, Jamin, which received three Michelin stars within three years—a rare feat. Eighteen months after opening, The New York Times called him one of the "most creative young chefs in Paris" as he earned his second star. In 1984, the International Herald Tribune named Jamin the "Best Restaurant in the World." From 1987 to 1990, he appeared regularly on French cooking shows.

In 1995, seeing many peers die from stress and heart attacks, Robuchon retired at 50. He later returned, opening several restaurants under his own name worldwide. He hosted *Cuisinez comme un grand chef* on TF1 from 1996 to 1999 and *Bon appétit bien sûr* on France 3 in 2000. Through his restaurants—including a newly three-starred one in Singapore—he accumulated 31 Michelin stars, the most of any chef. Robuchon was a Freemason of the Grande Loge Nationale Française but said it did not affect his career. He died of cancer on 6 August 2018, a year after treatment for a pancreatic tumor, at age 73.

He married Jeanine Paulette Arlette Robuchon in 1966. They had two children: son Eric, a pedicurist and podiatrist in Paris, and daughter Sophie Kartheiser, who manages La Cour d'Eymet in Dordogne with her husband, chef François Kartheiser. He also had a son, Louis Robuchon-Abe (born 1988), with a Japanese woman; Louis works as a wine importer in Japan. Robuchon was survived by his wife, three children, and four grandchildren.

Robuchon is considered the most influential French chef of the post-nouvelle cuisine era. Since the mid-1980s, he was called the *primus inter pares* of Paris's three-star chefs for his work at Jamin and his eponymous restaurant. Known for relentless perfectionism, he said no perfect meal exists—one can always do better. He moved French cuisine beyond the reductionism of nouvelle cuisine toward a postmodern blend of nouvelle, international influences (especially Japanese), and select haute cuisine traditions. His style celebrated the intrinsic qualities of the best seasonal ingredients, a concept Patricia Wells called "cuisine actuelle" in her book *Simply French*. Drawing inspiration from Japanese simplicity, he led the way to a more delicate style respectful of natural ingredients.

His restaurants appeared worldwide, with past locations in Bangkok, Singapore, Montreal, and New York City. Among his awards: Meilleur ouvrier de France (1976), "Best Restaurant in the World" from the International Herald Tribune (1984), Knight of the Legion of Honour (1993) and Officer (2003), Best French Restaurant and Best Chef in Las Vegas from *Las Vegas Life* International Epicurean Awards, "Hot Tables" from *CondeNast Traveller*, Five-Star Award from Forbes Travel Guide (2006–2011), Best French Restaurant in Las Vegas from the Hotel Concierge Association (2006–2010), and the Laurent Perrier Lifetime Achievement Award at The S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants (2009). His cookbooks include *Simply French: Patricia Wells Presents the Cuisine of Joel Robuchon* and *Tout Robuchon*.