Gilles Epie
Encyclopedia
Gilles Epié is a leading French chef. Born in Nantes
, France
, he was the youngest chef to receive the prestigious Michelin Star when he was 22 years old. He currently owns and runs Citrus Etoile along with his wife in Paris
.
and Alain Ducasse
at Lucas-Carton in Paris; After he traveled the world and learned its cuisine he returned to Paris. It was here that he received the Michelin Star in 1989 for his restaurant Le Miravile. He was the youngest chef to receive the same.
He continued working at Paris and was the chef at several top restaurants likes Miravile (owner), Paris; La Petite Cour, St. Germain, Paris .
After mastering Paris, he left in 1995 to explore US cuisine, speaking not a word of English. He worked as the head chef of L’Orangerie, Los Angeles
where he introduced a Provencal-inspired style of cooking. Within a year was voted the Best Chef In America of 1996 by Food & Wine Magazine. He took the restaurant from empty tables to being booked in advance, and single handedly took that establishment from a three-star to a five-star restaurant within six months .
Later, he bought and operated the Beverly Hills restaurant Chez Gilles along with a partner Jean Denoyer.
With the culinary fusion of French/ California dishes, he has impressed a lot of movie stars, supermodels and politicians across the world. He has catered Frank Sinatra
80th birthday; Catered Sophia Loren
’s birthday; Cooked a Presidents Dinner for George Bush
, Bill Clinton
, Ronald Reagan
and Gerald Ford
. He cooked for the King of Sweden, Shiek of Qatar, Bruce Springsteen
, Slash
, Sharon Stone
, Gregory Peck
, Richard Gere
, Elizabeth Taylor
and Princess Diana.
After 10 years in the United States
, Epie's decided to return to the Paris
after his dream restaurant location opened up. He tried a couple of canteens before opening Citrus Etoile in 2005 along with his wife, former model/ actress, Elizabeth Epié. He named the restaurant in honour of his friend Michel Richard and his Los Angeles restaurant, Citrus..
Currently, Chef Epié is also the expert food correspondent for the BBC. He shall join MSC cruise in 2012 as an one of the five European chefs.
He also explains that the secret to a great dish is always using fresh ingredients.
Because his kitchen has people visiting from across the world, Chef Epié does not use pork. He doesn’t believe in chefs who claim to have recipes passed down through generations or secret ingredients. He also has an online cookbook that is free for anyone to use.
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, he was the youngest chef to receive the prestigious Michelin Star when he was 22 years old. He currently owns and runs Citrus Etoile along with his wife in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Career
Gilles Epie started working at the age of 14 and trained with Alain SenderensAlain Senderens
Alain Senderens is a leading French chef credited as one of the founders of Nouvelle Cuisine.He was the chef at Lucas Carton from 1985 until 2005, when he took over the restaurant and renamed it Alain Senderens...
and Alain Ducasse
Alain Ducasse
Alain Ducasse is a Monégasque chef. He formerly held French nationality. He operates a number of restaurants including Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester which holds three stars in the Michelin Guide....
at Lucas-Carton in Paris; After he traveled the world and learned its cuisine he returned to Paris. It was here that he received the Michelin Star in 1989 for his restaurant Le Miravile. He was the youngest chef to receive the same.
He continued working at Paris and was the chef at several top restaurants likes Miravile (owner), Paris; La Petite Cour, St. Germain, Paris .
After mastering Paris, he left in 1995 to explore US cuisine, speaking not a word of English. He worked as the head chef of L’Orangerie, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
where he introduced a Provencal-inspired style of cooking. Within a year was voted the Best Chef In America of 1996 by Food & Wine Magazine. He took the restaurant from empty tables to being booked in advance, and single handedly took that establishment from a three-star to a five-star restaurant within six months .
Later, he bought and operated the Beverly Hills restaurant Chez Gilles along with a partner Jean Denoyer.
With the culinary fusion of French/ California dishes, he has impressed a lot of movie stars, supermodels and politicians across the world. He has catered Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
80th birthday; Catered Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
’s birthday; Cooked a Presidents Dinner for George Bush
George Bush
George Bush most often refers to:*George H. W. Bush , 41st President of the United States *George W. Bush , 43rd President of the United States , eldest son of George H. W...
, Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
. He cooked for the King of Sweden, Shiek of Qatar, Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
, Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, Sharon Stone
Sharon Stone
Sharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
, Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
, Richard Gere
Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol...
, Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
and Princess Diana.
After 10 years in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Epie's decided to return to the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
after his dream restaurant location opened up. He tried a couple of canteens before opening Citrus Etoile in 2005 along with his wife, former model/ actress, Elizabeth Epié. He named the restaurant in honour of his friend Michel Richard and his Los Angeles restaurant, Citrus..
Currently, Chef Epié is also the expert food correspondent for the BBC. He shall join MSC cruise in 2012 as an one of the five European chefs.
Style of Cooking
Epie creates classic French dishes with American accents. California influenced Epie's style of cooking and he cooking for those who did not want to put on weight. So he started taking on Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Mexican dishes. He is known for his rich bold tastes that he creates without butter or cream. .He also explains that the secret to a great dish is always using fresh ingredients.
Because his kitchen has people visiting from across the world, Chef Epié does not use pork. He doesn’t believe in chefs who claim to have recipes passed down through generations or secret ingredients. He also has an online cookbook that is free for anyone to use.
Awards
- 2009 Gayot’s Best Chocolate Soufflé
- 2008 Best Restaurant in Paris to do “a business lunch”, Citrus Etoile
- 2006 Top 100 Hot Restaurants In The World by Condé Nast Traveler 2006, Citrus Etoile
- 2006 Citrus Etoile mentioned as a “must visit” new restaurant in Paris by NY Times and Condé Nast Travel
- 1996 Best New Chef, Food & Wine Magazine
- 1989 Michelin Star