Pierre Gagnaire was born in France in 1950 and went on to become an outstanding chef in some of the very best restaurants. Over the years he has been Commis at the Intercontinental Hotel and roamed the world before returning to Clos Fleury, run by his father in Saint Etienne.

In 1980 he chose to open a restaurant on his own and quickly earned his first Michelin Star, six years later he was awarded his second Michelin Star. In 1993 the Michelin guide awarded his signature cuisine a third star. In 2002 Gagnaire opened a luxury restaurant in London alongside Mourad Mazouz, named Sketch and received the coveted title of Commandeur des Arts & Lettres.

2006 saw the grand opening of the restaurant Pierre in the luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong along with writing several books between 2006 and 2007. May 2008 saw the opening of the restaurant Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire in Dubai and the following year in Las Vegas, again at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

The outlook of Pierre Gagnaire is one of intelligence, curiosity, an open mind and confidence. He is full of ambition and determination; he has a love for life and is forever on a quest for happiness. Today he is happy at his home in rue Balzac where he has stars that have come in clusters of three, thanks to being associated with some of the very best restaurants in the world. Gagnaire differs from numerous other chefs in that he has not invented a concept for a restaurant nor does he have interest in marketing. For Pierre it is all about some of the very best cuisine, which reflects his life and feelings. He has no preconceived ideas, only personal experiences which have been led by his curiosity. Pierre loves to give food a soul and this has been evident in cuisine such as red beetroot sables with Beaufort cheese and cod comesquis served with wild mushrooms. He has always had a great relationship with his suppliers, an example of this was when he discovered 25 year old oysters that were outstanding and promptly reserved the whole of the harvest.

The style of Pierre Gagnaire is inimitable, using contrasts and opposites along with combinations that no one would think of using together. The cuisine served in restaurants of Pierre Gagnaire requires curiosity from patrons and an open mind. Gagnaire likes to astonish everyone, even himself and food tells stories through their flavors and textures. Gagnaire has no tricks up his sleeve and no concepts; his success is due to pure talent alone when it comes to the culture of French cuisine.

Editorial | Image Courtesy Of Pierre Gagnaire