French chef Joel Robuchon, world’s most Michelin-decorated chef, dies at 73 - Hindustan Times
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French chef Joel Robuchon, world’s most Michelin-decorated chef, dies at 73

Paris | ByAssociated Press
Aug 06, 2018 05:12 PM IST

Joel Robuchon has died at 73 in Geneva. The French chef owned a string of international restaurants and was awarded three Michelin stars.

Joel Robuchon, a master chef who shook up the stuffy world of French haute cuisine by wowing palates with the delights of the simple mashed potato and giving diners a peek at the kitchen, has died. He was 73.

French chef Joel Robuchon was named the ‘chef of the century’ by the Gault et Millau cooking guide in 1990.(AFP)
French chef Joel Robuchon was named the ‘chef of the century’ by the Gault et Millau cooking guide in 1990.(AFP)

Robuchon’s career was one of superlatives: Named among the best craftsmen in France in 1976, crowned cook of the century in 1990, one of the cooks at the “dinner of the century,” and, for years, holder of the most Michelin stars in the world.

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In this file photo taken on December 29, 2008 French chef Joel Robuchon, the world's most starred Chef with a total of 24 stars in the French Michelin 2008 Guide (culinary bible) poses in Monaco where he launched his first ever Japanese restaurant Yoshi. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on December 29, 2008 French chef Joel Robuchon, the world's most starred Chef with a total of 24 stars in the French Michelin 2008 Guide (culinary bible) poses in Monaco where he launched his first ever Japanese restaurant Yoshi. (AFP)

A spokeswoman for Robuchon confirmed his death, with French TV station BFM and newspaper Le Figaro reporting that he died in Geneva on Monday from cancer, citing his entourage.

Robuchon was known for his constant innovation and even playfulness in the kitchen — a revelation to the hidebound world of French cuisine. He had built an empire of gourmet restaurants across the world.

Read more: Anthony Bourdain, celebrity chef and TV host, commits suicide in France

“To describe Joel Robuchon as a cook is a bit like calling Pablo Picasso a painter, Luciano Pavarotti a singer, Frederic Chopin a pianist,” Patricia Wells, a cook and food writer, wrote in “L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon,” a book about the chef and his students. “Joel Robuchon will undoubtedly go down as the artist who most influenced the 20th-century world of cuisine.”

While he was no stranger to the fancy — truffles and caviar were among his favorites — his food was often described as simple because he preached the use of only three or four ingredients in most dishes and his goal was always to show off, not mask, their flavours.

In this file photo taken on November 13, 2012 French Chef Joel Robuchon chats with guests in his restaurant L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, in Paris. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on November 13, 2012 French Chef Joel Robuchon chats with guests in his restaurant L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, in Paris. (AFP)

He started a revolution with his Atelier — workshop in French — model: small, intimate restaurants where diners sat at a counter surrounding the kitchen. It didn’t take reservations and it didn’t have tables (for the most part).

His goal, he said, was to make diners feel comfortable, let them interact with the chef and, above all, put the focus back on the food. It was partially a rebuke to the Michelin star regime, which awards points not just for technique but also for the ambiance and service.

But Michelin, and just about everyone else, gobbled it up. And thanks to Ateliers around the world — from Las Vegas to Tokyo — Robuchon reached a total of 32 Michelin stars in 2016 —a record— and still held 31 stars this year, including five three-star restaurants.

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