Pierre Koffman
Encyclopedia
Pierre Koffmann is a French-born professional chef
who has worked mainly in the United Kingdom. He was one of a handful of chefs in the United Kingdom to have been awarded the coveted three Michelin stars at his restaurant La Tante Claire
in London. He is currently the head chef of Koffmann's at The Berkeley
hotel in Knightsbridge
, London
.
, France
on 21 August, 1948. His father worked as a mechanic for Citroën
. It was with his maternal grandparents, Camille and Marcel, in Saint-Puy
that he learnt how to cook when he visited with them during school holidays. Koffmann reminisced about this period in his 1990 book Memories of Gascony, and discussed in an interview with The Guardian
in 2010, "The produce was mostly from the farm. Steak was rare; we ate a lot of poultry. My grandmother did own a cooker, but most of her work was done over an open fire." In 1963 he left school and applied for a variety of jobs, but ultimately decided to attend cookery school for the next three years. Upon graduating, his report card stated "Pierre will never do anything in catering".
and Toulon
, before moving in 1970 to the United Kingdom to work with Michel
and Albert Roux
at Le Gavroche
. He originally only wanted to move to the UK so that he could see England
play France
in Rugby
at Twickenham Stadium
. He moved to the Roux brother's Waterside Inn
in Bray, Berkshire
in 1972, being made the first head chef of the new restaurant, where he met his future wife Annie who was the restaurant's manager.
He opened his first restaurant, La Tante Claire
in 1977 in Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea. Six years after it opened, the restaurant gained its third Michelin star. La Tante Claire moved to The Berkeley
hotel in Knightsbridge
, London
in 1998, with the former site being sold to become the flagship restaurant of Gordon Ramsey
. During his time at La Tante Claire, Koffmann worked with several eminent chefs, including Ramsey, Marco Pierre White
, Marcus Wareing
and Tom Kitchin
. He did not get on with Wareing, who made his feelings felt about Koffmann in Simon Wright
's book Tough Cookies, saying of Koffmann, "Three-star kitchen! This guy didn't tell you anything. He didn't tell you what the lunch menu was, he didn't tell you where to get anything… You didn't know if you were coming or going… I could not click with the man.", although more recently Wareing speaks better of Koffmann, saying "Koffmann is a complete thoroughbred. He ran the kitchen from the stove." The signature dish of the restaurant was pig’s trotter
with chicken mousseline
, sweetbread
s and morels.
Following the death of his wife Annie, he closed La Tante Claire in 2003. The space became the flagship restaurant of Marcus Wareing. After taking a break from restaurants, he was briefly head chef at the Bleeding Heart
pub in Clerkenwell
. In 2009, he opened a pop-up restaurant
at Selfridges
in London for ten days as part of the London food festival. Although Koffmann wanted to serve new dishes, but decided to serve classic dishes from La Tante Claire, as he described, "but that's not what people want. They want the pig's trotter, the foie gras
, the pistachio soufflé
. But maybe I do a new dish each day, as a special." The ten days turned into two months. Koffmann described the first month as "a kind of hell", but got used to the hours again during the second month, and began to ponder about opening a new restaurant; "I started to think about a new restaurant. I thought: why not? I still enjoy it. When you are a chef, your place is in the kitchen.".
Koffmann's at The Berkeley hotel opened on 30 June, 2010, at the former site of Gordon Ramsey's Boxwood Cafe; it is Koffmann's first full restaurant venture since the closure of La Tante Claire in 2003 at the same hotel. He admits that he is no longer chasing Michelin stars, and will instead cook the Gascon
style food he remembers from his childhood.
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
who has worked mainly in the United Kingdom. He was one of a handful of chefs in the United Kingdom to have been awarded the coveted three Michelin stars at his restaurant La Tante Claire
La Tante Claire
La Tante Claire was a restaurant in London which opened in 1977 and closed in 2004. Owned and operated by Pierre Koffmann, it gained three Michelin stars in 1983, and held all three until the restaurant moved premises in 1998.-Description:...
in London. He is currently the head chef of Koffmann's at The Berkeley
The Berkeley
The Berkeley is a five star deluxe hotel, located in Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London. It is managed by Maybourne Hotel Group, who also manage Claridge's and The Connaught in Mayfair, London.-Description:...
hotel in Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Early life
Born in TarbesTarbes
Tarbes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.It is part of the historical region of Gascony. It is the second largest metropolitan area of Midi-Pyrénées, with 110,000 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...
on 21 August, 1948. His father worked as a mechanic for Citroën
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
. It was with his maternal grandparents, Camille and Marcel, in Saint-Puy
Saint-Puy
Saint-Puy is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.-Population:-Personalities:It was the home of the gentleman soldier Blaise de Monluc.-References:*...
that he learnt how to cook when he visited with them during school holidays. Koffmann reminisced about this period in his 1990 book Memories of Gascony, and discussed in an interview with The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
in 2010, "The produce was mostly from the farm. Steak was rare; we ate a lot of poultry. My grandmother did own a cooker, but most of her work was done over an open fire." In 1963 he left school and applied for a variety of jobs, but ultimately decided to attend cookery school for the next three years. Upon graduating, his report card stated "Pierre will never do anything in catering".
Career
Koffmann first worked as a chef in StrasbourgStrasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
and Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, before moving in 1970 to the United Kingdom to work with Michel
Michel Roux
Michel Roux is a French-born chef and restaurateur working in Britain.Born in Charolles, Saône-et-Loire, Roux moved to Paris with his family after the war, where they set up a charcuterie...
and Albert Roux
Albert Roux
Albert Roux OBE is a French-born restaurateur and chef working in Britain. He and his brother Michel operated Le Gavroche, the first restaurant in the UK to gain three Michelin stars. He helped train a series of chefs that went on to win Michelin stars, and his son, Michel Roux, Jr...
at Le Gavroche
Le Gavroche
Le Gavroche is a restaurant on 43 Upper Brook Street in Mayfair . It was opened in 1967 by Michel and Albert Roux although the original premises were on 61 Lower Sloane Street until 1981....
. He originally only wanted to move to the UK so that he could see England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
play France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
in Rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
at Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
. He moved to the Roux brother's Waterside Inn
Waterside Inn
Waterside Inn, located in Bray, Berkshire, England, was founded by the brothers Michel and Albert Roux after the success of Le Gavroche. It is currently run by Michel's son, Alain...
in Bray, Berkshire
Bray, Berkshire
Bray, sometimes known as Bray on Thames, is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire. It stands on the banks of the River Thames, just south-east of Maidenhead. It is famous as the village mentioned in the song The Vicar of Bray...
in 1972, being made the first head chef of the new restaurant, where he met his future wife Annie who was the restaurant's manager.
He opened his first restaurant, La Tante Claire
La Tante Claire
La Tante Claire was a restaurant in London which opened in 1977 and closed in 2004. Owned and operated by Pierre Koffmann, it gained three Michelin stars in 1983, and held all three until the restaurant moved premises in 1998.-Description:...
in 1977 in Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea. Six years after it opened, the restaurant gained its third Michelin star. La Tante Claire moved to The Berkeley
The Berkeley
The Berkeley is a five star deluxe hotel, located in Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London. It is managed by Maybourne Hotel Group, who also manage Claridge's and The Connaught in Mayfair, London.-Description:...
hotel in Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1998, with the former site being sold to become the flagship restaurant of Gordon Ramsey
Gordon Ramsey
Gordon Ramsey was an American television, stage and voice actor, who was based in New York City.Some of his notable performances included hosting a local children's television show as "Bozo the Clown" and voicing characters in the animated series Star Blazers...
. During his time at La Tante Claire, Koffmann worked with several eminent chefs, including Ramsey, Marco Pierre White
Marco Pierre White
Marco Pierre White is a British celebrity chef, restaurateur and television personality. He is noted for his contributions to contemporary international cuisine, and his exceptional culinary skills....
, Marcus Wareing
Marcus Wareing
Marcus Wareing , is an English chef, currently Chef Patron of "Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley" in Knightsbridge, and previously the Grill Room at the Savoy Hotel on the Strand....
and Tom Kitchin
Tom Kitchin
Tom Kitchin, is a Scottish chef and owner of restaurant The Kitchin, where he became the youngest winner of a Michelin star. He had previously worked with several Michelin starred chefs including Alain Ducasse and Pierre Koffmann.-Career:...
. He did not get on with Wareing, who made his feelings felt about Koffmann in Simon Wright
Simon Wright (restaurateur)
Simon Wright is a food writer, broadcaster and restaurateur.- Biography :Wright rose to public prominence in 2002 when, as editor of the AA Restaurant Guide, he was at the centre of a row involving Gordon Ramsay, his former protégé Marcus Wareing and the motoring organisation...
's book Tough Cookies, saying of Koffmann, "Three-star kitchen! This guy didn't tell you anything. He didn't tell you what the lunch menu was, he didn't tell you where to get anything… You didn't know if you were coming or going… I could not click with the man.", although more recently Wareing speaks better of Koffmann, saying "Koffmann is a complete thoroughbred. He ran the kitchen from the stove." The signature dish of the restaurant was pig’s trotter
Pig's trotters
Pig's trotters are the feet of pigs. The cuts are used in various dishes around the world, they have been used by chefs such as Marco Pierre White and Pierre Koffmann, and have increased in popularity since the late-2000s financial crisis.-Description:...
with chicken mousseline
Mousseline
A mousseline is a dish based on meat, fish, shellfish or foie gras to which whipped cream or, less frequently, beaten egg whites are added to lighten the texture by incorporating air bubbles. "Mousseline" is a derivative of "mousse"....
, sweetbread
Sweetbread
Sweetbreads or ris are culinary names for the thymus or the pancreas especially of the calf and lamb...
s and morels.
Following the death of his wife Annie, he closed La Tante Claire in 2003. The space became the flagship restaurant of Marcus Wareing. After taking a break from restaurants, he was briefly head chef at the Bleeding Heart
Bleeding Heart Yard
Bleeding Heart Yard is a cobbled courtyard off Greville Street in the Farringdon area of the City of London.Urban legend has it that the courtyard's name commemorates the murder of Lady Elizabeth Hatton, second wife of Sir William Hatton, whose family used to own the area...
pub in Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
. In 2009, he opened a pop-up restaurant
Pop-up restaurant
Pop-up restaurants, also called supper clubs, are temporary restaurants. These restaurants often operate from a private home, former factory or similar and during festivals....
at Selfridges
Selfridges
Selfridges, AKA Selfridges & Co, is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK and was opened on 15 March 1909.More recently, three other stores have been...
in London for ten days as part of the London food festival. Although Koffmann wanted to serve new dishes, but decided to serve classic dishes from La Tante Claire, as he described, "but that's not what people want. They want the pig's trotter, the 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...
, the pistachio soufflé
Soufflé
A soufflé is a light baked cake made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savoury main dish or sweetened as a dessert...
. But maybe I do a new dish each day, as a special." The ten days turned into two months. Koffmann described the first month as "a kind of hell", but got used to the hours again during the second month, and began to ponder about opening a new restaurant; "I started to think about a new restaurant. I thought: why not? I still enjoy it. When you are a chef, your place is in the kitchen.".
Koffmann's at The Berkeley hotel opened on 30 June, 2010, at the former site of Gordon Ramsey's Boxwood Cafe; it is Koffmann's first full restaurant venture since the closure of La Tante Claire in 2003 at the same hotel. He admits that he is no longer chasing Michelin stars, and will instead cook the Gascon
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
style food he remembers from his childhood.