French chefs and their cuisine are world renowned for their high standard and good quality ingredients. To learn more about the top five famous French chefs read our guide for more facts and information…
Some experts and foodies like to categorise the most famous French chefs according to the types of cuisine that they specialise(d) in. The differences arise out of the different ways of preparing and serving the food. There are two main types of French cuisine, and their chefs. The older form is known as haute cuisine as is the more classic way of preparing and serving French dishes. Then there is Nouvelle cuisine. This is the more modern style. This is famous for its more delicate flavours and greater emphasis is placed on presentation. Famous French chefs of Nouvelle cuisine include the Troisgros brothers, Bocuse and Escoffier. However, this style of cooking laregely went out of style in the 1980’s and some of the more recent French chefs have taken to preparing French cuisine in the style of Haute Cuisine.
The Top 5 Most Famous French Chefs
Paul Bocuse
Bocuse was one of the first famous French chefs who were a fan of Nouvelle Cuisine. He is credited with having created the now famous truffle soup.
Bernard Loiseau
This French chef began his culinary career as an apprentice with the Troigros brothers at an extremely famous restaurant called Le Maison Troigros. Loiseau was one of the proponents of French cuisine known as Nouvelle Cuisine, which is more delicate than more traditional French dishes. It is widely believed in the culinary industry that the inspiration behind ‘Auguste Gusteau’, the chef in the famous film Ratatouille. Loiseau passed away in 2003.
George Auguste Escoffier
Escoffier is probably one of the most well known of all of the famous French chefs. Experts and foodies argue that he was the founder of contemporary French food. Contemporary French food is simply a more simple way of making dishes. He was the developer of the world famous dessert Peach Melba.
Marie-Antoine Careme
This famous French chef was born around the same time as when the French revolution occurred. Some of the more famous people he prepared dishes for include Napoleon Bonaparte and was thus nicknamed the ‘chef of kings’. This nickname also arose because he is also famous for being one of the proponents of Haute Cuisine.
Joel Robuchon
Robuchon is one of the most famous French chefs in the world, and is lauded as being amongst the best chefs in the world, and not just in France. He owns a chain of restaurants all over the world, and most of these have Michelin Stars. He has mentored celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey.
These are the top 5 famous French chefs. They are famous for having created or mastered the most popular styles of French cuisines. Unfortunately, some of these chefs have passed on, but there are still some brilliant French chefs who can be found by checking the famous Michelin Red Guide which is released annually.
