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Nouvelle cuisine pioneer Pierre Troisgros has died
French chef Pierre Troisgros, one of the pioneers of the nouvelle cuisine movement, has died at his home in Le Coteau in the Loire, aged 92.
Pierre Troisgros pioneered nouvelle cuisine in France
Born on 3 September 1928 in Chalon-sur-Saone, having completed a chef apprenticeship with Lucas Carton in Paris, in the ‘50s Pierre Troisgros began working at his parents’ restaurant, Hotel Moderne, in Roanne, with his brother Jean.
In 1955, the restaurant, located in the Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, won its first Michelin star. Two years later Pierre renamed the restaurant Les Frères Troisgros.
Jean, Jean-Baptiste and Pierre Troisgros outside Les Frères Troisgros
Within a decade it became the most popular restaurant in the region and one of the best-known restaurants in France. In 1965, the restaurant won its second star, with its third star following three years later in 1968, which is retains to this day.
Breaking with tradition, Pierre and Jean moved away from the heavy butter and cream-laden dishes that typified French cuisine, towards lighter, fresher ingredients in what went on to become known as ‘nouvelle cuisine’, that inspired the likes of Paul Bocuse, who died in 2018.
“The team has a heavy heart tonight”, the account for Paul Bocuse restaurant near Lyon tweeted on hearing the news.
In 1972 Les Frères Troisgros. Was named Best Restaurant in the World by French restaurant guide Gault Millau.
Today Troisgros’s son Michel and grandsons Cesar and Leo now run Les Frères Troisgros, which moved from Roanne to a countryside villa in Ouches in 2017.
“An emblematic figure of French cuisine, Pierre Troigros was one of those chefs whose name has become an international reference in gastronomy,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin guides, said in a statement.
“Pierre embodied the transmission and innovation that has always permeated the kitchens of the establishment,” Poullennec added.
With the deaths in 2018 of Troisgros’ contemporary Paul Bocuse, and Joël Robuchon, France has lost three legendary chefs in under three years.