Frédy Girardet
Encyclopedia
Frédy Girardet is a Swiss
chef who cooks in the French
tradition. Often considered one of the greatest chefs of the 20th Century, his self-named restaurant in Crissier, Switzerland (near Lausanne, Switzerland) earned three Michelin stars and before Giradet's retirement in 1996 was often called the greatest restaurant in the world.
in Crissier, Switzerland, a small town nearby,. Giradet was an athletic child, playing amateurassociation football (soccer). Although he apprenticed at Le Grand Chêne, a restaurant in Lausanne, his ambition was to become professional.
During a wine-buying tour of Burgundy for his father's restaurant, a vintner
took him to La Maison Troisgros in Roanne
. Giradet describes the meal, his first at a renowned restaurant, as a spiritual experience that convinced him to become a chef. When his father died unexpectedly at age 56, he took over the bistro. Cooking originally in a classic style, he began to experiment with lighter and more innovative style, joining with his contemporaries to develop the emerging nouvelle cuisine
movement.
in his sauces, thickening them instead with simmered meat stocks. By more modern standards he is considered a traditionalist. He is a critic of molecular cuisine, in particular its use of non-natural ingredients.
In 1984 he published The Cuisine of Fredy Girardet (edited by food writer Narcisse Chamberlain), in French
with English translation.
Giradet sold his restaurant in 1996, at age 60, to Philippe Rochat
, who had worked under Giradet since 1980, and Rochat's wife Franziska Rochat-Moser
. He then retired to the town of Féchy
, in the Swiss Alps
. Giradet grew bored after retiring, and had some friction with Rochat, who quickly regained the restaurant's three-star rating. Food writer Colman Andrews
speculated that Giradet quit during the prime of his career after observing other chefs he knew, including his fateher, who were unable to sell when they wanted, and who eventually died early from the stress of running a restaurant.
Among Girardet's other understudies is Léa Linster
.
Swiss (people)
The Swiss are citizens or natives of Switzerland. The demonym derives from the toponym of Schwyz and has been in widespread use to refer to the Old Swiss Confederacy since the 16th century....
chef who cooks in the French
French cuisine
French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel , a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France...
tradition. Often considered one of the greatest chefs of the 20th Century, his self-named restaurant in Crissier, Switzerland (near Lausanne, Switzerland) earned three Michelin stars and before Giradet's retirement in 1996 was often called the greatest restaurant in the world.
Biography
Giradet was born to Benjamin and Georgette Giradet in Lausanne, Switzerland. His father cooked for years in Hôtel Central Bellevue in Lausanne, before opening a bistroBistro
A bistro, sometimes spelled bistrot, is, in its original Parisian incarnation, a small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting. Bistros are defined mostly by the foods they serve. Home cooking with robust earthy dishes, and slow-cooked foods like cassoulet are typical...
in Crissier, Switzerland, a small town nearby,. Giradet was an athletic child, playing amateurassociation football (soccer). Although he apprenticed at Le Grand Chêne, a restaurant in Lausanne, his ambition was to become professional.
During a wine-buying tour of Burgundy for his father's restaurant, a vintner
Vintner
A vintner is a wine merchant. You pronounce it like this In some modern use, in particular in American English, the term is alsoused as a synonym for winemaker....
took him to La Maison Troisgros in Roanne
Roanne
Roanne is a commune in the Loire department in central France.It is located northwest of Lyon on the Loire River.-Economy:...
. Giradet describes the meal, his first at a renowned restaurant, as a spiritual experience that convinced him to become a chef. When his father died unexpectedly at age 56, he took over the bistro. Cooking originally in a classic style, he began to experiment with lighter and more innovative style, joining with his contemporaries to develop the emerging nouvelle cuisine
Nouvelle Cuisine
Nouvelle cuisine is an approach to cooking and food presentation used in French cuisine. By contrast with cuisine classique, an older form of French haute cuisine, nouvelle cuisine is characterized by lighter, more delicate dishes and an increased emphasis on presentation.-History:The term...
movement.
Cuisine
Giradet is known primarily for his nouvelle cuisine style. He avoids using flourFlour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
in his sauces, thickening them instead with simmered meat stocks. By more modern standards he is considered a traditionalist. He is a critic of molecular cuisine, in particular its use of non-natural ingredients.
In 1984 he published The Cuisine of Fredy Girardet (edited by food writer Narcisse Chamberlain), in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
with English translation.
Restaurant
Giradet's restaurant in Crissier opened in 1971. Unlike many acclaimed chefs from the era, Giradet personally spent most of his time in the kitchen supervising the cuisine, rarely traveled, and avoided consultancies and endorsements. The restaurant was called by some the greatest restaurant in the world, and for his work there, Giradet was often called the world's greatest chef.Giradet sold his restaurant in 1996, at age 60, to Philippe Rochat
Philippe Rochat
Philippe Rochat is a Swiss chef and the owner of the Restaurant de L'Hôtel de Ville in Crissier, Switzerland....
, who had worked under Giradet since 1980, and Rochat's wife Franziska Rochat-Moser
Franziska Rochat-Moser
Franziska Rochat-Moser was a long-distance runner from Switzerland, who represented her native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992...
. He then retired to the town of Féchy
Féchy
Féchy is a municipality located in the district of Morges of the Swiss canton of Vaud, in Romandy, the French-speaking part of the country.-Geography:...
, in the Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
. Giradet grew bored after retiring, and had some friction with Rochat, who quickly regained the restaurant's three-star rating. Food writer Colman Andrews
Colman Andrews
Colman Robert Hardy Daniel Andrews is an American writer and editor and authority on food and wine. In culinary circles, he is best known for his association with Saveur magazine, which he founded with Dorothy Kalins, Michael Grossman, and Christopher Hirsheimer in 1994 and where he served as...
speculated that Giradet quit during the prime of his career after observing other chefs he knew, including his fateher, who were unable to sell when they wanted, and who eventually died early from the stress of running a restaurant.
Among Girardet's other understudies is Léa Linster
Léa Linster
Léa Linster is a Luxembourgian chef, and a gold medal winner of the 1989 Bocuse d'Or, the first and to date only woman to accomplish this....
.