Taillevent (restaurant)
Encyclopedia
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...
, founded in 1946 by André Vrinat.
Origin
The restaurant was named in a tribute to Guillaume Tirel, called TailleventTaillevent
Guillaume Tirel, alias Taillevent was cook to the Court of France at the time of the first Valois kings and the Hundred Years War. His first position was enfent de cuisine to Queen Jeanne d'Évreux. From 1326 he was queux, head chef, to Philip VI...
, a cook in the 14th century known to have written the first cuisine book in French, Le Viandier
Viandier
Le Viandier is a recipe collection largely credited to Guillaume Tirel, alias Taillevent. However, the earliest version of the book has been dated to around 1300, about 10 years before the birth of Tirel...
, ordered by Charles V of France "the wise"
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
.
Star course
In 1946 Taillevent restaurantRestaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
was founded by André Vrinat in a dining room of the Worms, located at Saint-Georges street, 9th arrondissement of Paris; the chef
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 ...
was then Paul Cosnier.
In 1948, it won its first star given by the French restaurant guide Guide Michelin. In 1950, the restaurant moved to the mansion of the Duc de Morny built in 1852, which was a family house before becoming the embassy of Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. Today the restaurant is located at 15, Lamenais street, in the 8th arrondissement
Arrondissement
Arrondissement is any of various administrative divisions of France, certain other Francophone countries, and the Netherlands.-France:The 101 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The capital of an arrondissement is called a...
of Paris.
In 1954 Taillevent restaurant got its second star with the chef Lucien Leheu. Son of the founder and graduated from HEC
HEC
HEC could mean any one of the following:* Hautes Études Commerciales , French language business schools in Francophone countries* Hotel Ezra Cornell, Cornell Hotel School student-run Hospitality Leadership Conference...
, Jean-Claude Vrinat
Jean-Claude Vrinat
Jean-Claude Vrinat was the owner of the Taillevent restaurant founded by his father André Vrinat in Paris. This two star restaurant, named after the court chef to King Charles V in the fourteenth century, has long been considered the epitome of Haute Cuisine and is also known for its excellent...
began in 1962. In 1973, Guide Michelin attributed three stars to Taillevent restaurant, awarding the kitchen direction of the chef Claude Deligne.
Pastry chefs included Philippe Feret from Brasserie Julien
Brasserie Julien
Brasserie Julien is a French restaurant and Jazz club located at 1422 3rd Avenue .-French Restaurant:...
.
The chef Philippe Legendre began in 1991.
Diversification
In 2001, Taillevent restaurant opened another restaurant L'Angle du Faubourg, located at 195, faubourg Saint-Honoré street, in Paris. Michel del Burgo left Taillevent Kitchens to lead L'Angle du Faubourg, replaced by the cook head Alain Solivérès. Alain Comte is pastry cook head.
In 2004, Jean-Claude Vrinat decorated the restaurant with contemporary art and in 2005 the caves Taillevent opened a wine shop at Marunouchi
Marunouchi
Marunouchi is a commercial district of Tokyo located in Chiyoda between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. The name, meaning "inside the circle", derives from its location within the palace's outer moat...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
In June 2006 Jean-Claude Vrinat
Jean-Claude Vrinat
Jean-Claude Vrinat was the owner of the Taillevent restaurant founded by his father André Vrinat in Paris. This two star restaurant, named after the court chef to King Charles V in the fourteenth century, has long been considered the epitome of Haute Cuisine and is also known for its excellent...
launched a blog in order to share his art-of-cooking experiences. The same year, a wine shop Les Caves Taillevent opened in Printemps Haussmann, Paris.
After Alain Lecomte left Taillevent, Arnaud Vodounou became the new pastry cook head.
Troubles
February 21 2007, Jean-Claude Vrinat announced on his blog the loss of the third star, also announced in the International Herald TribuneInternational Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
newspaper. January 7 2008, Jean-Claude Vrinat died of lung cancer. He was 71-years old.
List of chefs at Taillevent restaurant
- (2002-today) Alain Solivérès
- (2001-2002) Michel del Burgo
- (1991-1999) Philippe Legendre
- (1970-1991) Claude Deligne
- (1950-1970) Lucien Leheu
- (1946-1950) Paul Cosnier