Alain Passard
Encyclopedia
Alain Passard is a French chef and owner of the three star restaurant L'Arpège
in Paris.
The son of musicians, Passard is also passionate about music, playing the saxophone. He recently released his first book, Les Recettes des Drôles de Petites Bêtes, a recipe book written especially for children. He is also a partner in a company that produces mustard
using a 16th century recipe and has worked with silversmiths Christofle
on a set of flatware made especially for eating vegetables.
under Michel Kerever. From 1976 to 1977 Passard worked at La Chaumière in Reims
under Gaston Boyer. From 1980 to 1984 Passard worked at Le Duc d'Enghien, at the Casino of Enghien, during which time, at the age of 26, he became the youngest two star chef.
In 1984, Passard moved to the Restaurant Carlton, Brussels
, Belgium and within two years the restaurant earned two stars from the Michelin Guide
.
In 1986, Passard purchased the three star restaurant L'Archestrate from his former mentor Alain Senderens and renamed it L'Arpège. It took only a single year to earn its first star, then one year more to earn its second. In 1996, L'Arpège earned its third star from the Michelin Dining Guide, which it has retained ever since.
In 2001, Passard completely removed red meat from his menu and turned the focus of his efforts to vegetables, stating "I believe I have come far in the areas of poultry and meat based cuisine. Today I aspire to another exploration based in vegetables. I voluntarily erase, without regret, twelve signature dishes of the house with real reassessment. I sense a fabulous adventure in exploring the depths of my passion."
In September 2002, Passard opened his kitchen garden
, a 2 hectare parcel of land run by two gardeners approximately 230 kilometers from Paris, on the property of an old Chateau in the French town of Fillé. The vegetables are grown completely organically and even the use of machines is forbidden. The only help the gardeners receive during harvest is the use of a draught horse to help till the soil.
television, including Great Chefs of the World and Great Chefs of France during its run on the Discovery Channel.
. He first appeared in the 1997 World Cup held in Arashiyama
, a district in the Kyoto
prefecture of Japan.
Passard defeated Patrick Clark
in the first round in Battle Homard Lobster to earn the right to battle Iron Chef Japanese Koumei Nakamura
, who had defeated Liu Xikun in his first round match, the theme ingredient being beef. In the final, with foie gras
being the theme ingredient, giving the French chef a decided advantage over his Japanese counterpart, the two tied, both being honored as World Cup champions. This was before an overtime period had been instituted in the case of a tie.
In the last match held in Kitchen Stadium, in September 1999, the "King of Iron Chefs" tournament was held with all of the current Iron Chefs battling each other for the right to battle Passard in the final. Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai
came out victorious in the tournament and was crowned King of Iron Chefs, and battled Passard with the theme ingredient of Long-Gang chicken.
Sakai defeated Passard in a split decision. Still, it was a great honor for Passard to be named as the ultimate test for the Iron Chefs, so much so that even in defeat his Ronkonkai Chicken à la Dragee, a dish in which he slowly cooked the chicken for 40 minutes then covered it with minced Dragee (almonds covered with a hard sugar glaze), was named one of the 10 best dishes ever created in Kitchen Stadium.
L'Arpège
L'Arpège is a restaurant in Paris, France. The chef is Alain Passard. It was previously known as L'Archestrate, owned by his former mentor Alain Senderens from whom he bought it in 1986....
in Paris.
The son of musicians, Passard is also passionate about music, playing the saxophone. He recently released his first book, Les Recettes des Drôles de Petites Bêtes, a recipe book written especially for children. He is also a partner in a company that produces mustard
Mustard (condiment)
Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...
using a 16th century recipe and has worked with silversmiths Christofle
Christofle
Christofle is a manufacturer of fine silver flatware and home accessories based in France since 1830. They are renowned for their sterling, silverplate and stainless flatware. Among Christofle's product lines are silver picture frames, crystal vases and glassware, porcelain dinnerware and silver...
on a set of flatware made especially for eating vegetables.
History
Passard began his culinary career in 1971 at the age of 14 working at Hôtellerie du Lion d'Or in LiffréLiffré
Liffré is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Liffré are called in French Liffréens.-References:* -External links:* *...
under Michel Kerever. From 1976 to 1977 Passard worked at La Chaumière in Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
under Gaston Boyer. From 1980 to 1984 Passard worked at Le Duc d'Enghien, at the Casino of Enghien, during which time, at the age of 26, he became the youngest two star chef.
In 1984, Passard moved to the Restaurant Carlton, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium and within two years the restaurant earned two stars from the Michelin Guide
Michelin Guide
The Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term normally refers to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
.
In 1986, Passard purchased the three star restaurant L'Archestrate from his former mentor Alain Senderens and renamed it L'Arpège. It took only a single year to earn its first star, then one year more to earn its second. In 1996, L'Arpège earned its third star from the Michelin Dining Guide, which it has retained ever since.
In 2001, Passard completely removed red meat from his menu and turned the focus of his efforts to vegetables, stating "I believe I have come far in the areas of poultry and meat based cuisine. Today I aspire to another exploration based in vegetables. I voluntarily erase, without regret, twelve signature dishes of the house with real reassessment. I sense a fabulous adventure in exploring the depths of my passion."
In September 2002, Passard opened his kitchen garden
Kitchen garden
The traditional kitchen garden, also known as a potager, is a space separate from the rest of the residential garden - the ornamental plants and lawn areas...
, a 2 hectare parcel of land run by two gardeners approximately 230 kilometers from Paris, on the property of an old Chateau in the French town of Fillé. The vegetables are grown completely organically and even the use of machines is forbidden. The only help the gardeners receive during harvest is the use of a draught horse to help till the soil.
"Great Chefs"
Passard appeared in seven episodes of Great ChefsGreat Chefs
Great Chefs is a franchise of cooking shows and cookbooks that began with thirteen half hour programs produced for the American Public Broadcasting Service entitled Great Chefs of New Orleans...
television, including Great Chefs of the World and Great Chefs of France during its run on the Discovery Channel.
Iron Chef
Passard received a measure of international fame by participating as a challenger on the wildly popular Japanese show Iron ChefIron Chef
is a Japanese television cooking show produced by Fuji Television. The series, which premiered on October 10, 1992, is a stylized cook-off featuring guest chefs challenging one of the show's resident "Iron Chefs" in a timed cooking battle built around a specific theme ingredient. The series ended...
. He first appeared in the 1997 World Cup held in Arashiyama
Arashiyama
is a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It also refers to the mountain across the Ōi River, which forms a backdrop to the district.Notable tourist sites in Arashiyama include...
, a district in the Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
prefecture of Japan.
Passard defeated Patrick Clark
Patrick Clark
Patrick Clark is an Emmy and Telly Award-winning host. He has been featured on the Home & Garden Network , G4, ABC Family Channel, All News Channel and served as a correspondent for Cartoon Network.-Biography:...
in the first round in Battle Homard Lobster to earn the right to battle Iron Chef Japanese Koumei Nakamura
Koumei Nakamura
, is a celebrity chef. Most famous for being the second Japanese Iron Chef on the show, Iron Chef, he has worked at numerous restaurants such as the Oriental Hotel in Osaka, Nadaman in the Hotel New Otani, and the Nadaman Singapore in the Shangri La Hotel. He later became the manager of Nadaman in...
, who had defeated Liu Xikun in his first round match, the theme ingredient being beef. In the final, with foie gras
Foie gras
Foie gras ; French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. This fattening is typically achieved through gavage corn, according to French law, though outside of France it is occasionally produced using natural feeding...
being the theme ingredient, giving the French chef a decided advantage over his Japanese counterpart, the two tied, both being honored as World Cup champions. This was before an overtime period had been instituted in the case of a tie.
In the last match held in Kitchen Stadium, in September 1999, the "King of Iron Chefs" tournament was held with all of the current Iron Chefs battling each other for the right to battle Passard in the final. Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai
Hiroyuki Sakai
is a well-known Japanese chef who specializes in French cuisine. Sakai is most famous for being the second, and last, Iron Chef French on the Japanese television show Iron Chef, first appearing at the beginning of 1994 and continued his appearance in shows over nine seasons...
came out victorious in the tournament and was crowned King of Iron Chefs, and battled Passard with the theme ingredient of Long-Gang chicken.
Sakai defeated Passard in a split decision. Still, it was a great honor for Passard to be named as the ultimate test for the Iron Chefs, so much so that even in defeat his Ronkonkai Chicken à la Dragee, a dish in which he slowly cooked the chicken for 40 minutes then covered it with minced Dragee (almonds covered with a hard sugar glaze), was named one of the 10 best dishes ever created in Kitchen Stadium.