Hommage aux Maîtres de la cuisine: Every month we talk about a person who built the history of the French Cuisine. This month Mr. Alain Chapel Alain Chapel, 30 December 1937 – 10 July 1990 was a French Michelin 3 starred Chef, credited with being one of the originators of Nouvelle Cuisine. Chapel was born in Lyon, the son of Maître d Charles and his wife Eva. At the outbreak of World War II, the family moved to the village of Mionnay 12 miles outside the city, where his father opened a bistro called La Mere Charles in an old coaching inn surrounded by lush gardens. Alain started his training in the kitchen of the family bistro. A Chapel returned to the family bistro and in 1967 gained the now restaurant its first Michelin star. After taking over the restaurant in 1970 on the death of his father, he converted the inn to a hotel and renamed it in his own name. In 1973, Chapel gained his third Michelin star, then one of only 19 restaurants all in France which had ever then gained the honour. Chapels signature dishes included stuffed calves ears with fried parsley, truffle-stuffed chicken tightly enveloped in a pork bladder and cooked in a rich chicken broth. Food critic Craig Claiborne writing for The New York Times in 1977 described Chapels gateau de foies blonds as his ultimate triumph and one of the absolute cooking glories of this generation. According to the Gault Millau Guide to France: A meal at Chapels restaurant was like a symphony. Throughout the rest of his life, the establishment retained all three of its Michelin stars. The speed of transformation and the cuisine developed turned the village of Mionnay into a culinary landmark on any serious gastronomic tour of France. The attraction was also as great for young chefs, who sought the opportunity to work with Chapel – these included Michel Roux Jr. In the process of opening a restaurant in Florida, United States, in 1990 while visiting friends and attending the annual summer festival in Avignon, Chapel died of a stroke. Chapel left a wife Suzanne, and two sons David and Romain. Chef Pierre Gagnaire said “I didnt have a master or a teacher, but I had people who inspired me. The people who inspired me have been Alain Chapel and the Swiss chef Frédy Girardet, but I didnt work with them”
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 11:11:00 +0000