joël robuchon, the most michelin-starred chef in the world.

Patrick-Pierre Sabatier with Sophie Robuchon and Éric Bouchenoire

Preface by Guy Savoy

(Le Cherche Midi, 336 pages, 2023)

Dive into the extraordinary journey and rise of Joël Robuchon, the world’s most Michelin-starred chef with an astounding thirty-two stars.

Crowned “Chef of the Century” in 1990, and his restaurant, Jamin, awarded the title of “Best Restaurant in the World” by the International Herald Tribune in 1994, Joël Robuchon stands as an iconic figure in gastronomy. With his dozen L’Atelier Joël Robuchon restaurants scattered across the globe, including three in the United States, he played a pivotal role in elevating French cuisine to international acclaim.

This comprehensive and unprecedented biography takes you behind the scenes of the greatest kitchens, vividly recounting Robuchon’s journey from the discovery of cuisine during his childhood in the French countryside to his initial apprenticeship and culinary journey. You witness the trajectory of his career as it takes off upon his arrival in Paris at the kitchens of the Concorde La Fayette and Nikko hotels, where he earns his first stars. The narrative unfolds with the opening of his first restaurant, Jamin, for which he secures a remarkable three new stars in record time.

A masterful and innovative chef, Robuchon, who died in 2018, revolutionized the culinary world in 2003 with the creation of his L’Atelier Joël Robuchon, inspired by his Tokyo restaurant. Blending luxury and haute cuisine, he proposed a culinary spectacle where chefs prepare and showcase their art in an open kitchen. Quickly becoming a global phenomenon, L’Atelier set its culinary stage in New York, Miami, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Montreal, and many other cities worldwide.

With a heartfelt commitment to share his passion with the world, Robuchon began hosting successful culinary shows in 1996, unveiling the secrets behind his culinary prowess and earning him celebrity status in the process.

Joël Robuchon, the Most Michelin-Starred Chef in the World is a must-read for all culinary enthusiasts and inquisitive minds eager to discover the story of a passionate and fascinating man. The book is complemented by five step-by-step recipes from the chef, perfect for those willing to try their hand at his exceptional French cuisine.

Patrick-Pierre Sabatier is a physician, nutritionist, educator, and a close friend of Joël Robuchon. He is the author of numerous works on nutrition, the history of food, dietary habits, and aging, including 155 recettes pour mincir et rester mince enfin! co-written with Robuchon. He wrote this new biography with the help of Sophie Robuchon and Éric Bouchenoire, respectively daughter and disciple of Joël Robuchon.