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Alexis Gauthier

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Alexis Gauthier
Born(1973-06-24)24 June 1973(age 51)[1]
Avignon,Provence, France[2]
Culinary career
Cooking styleFrench cuisine
Rating(s)
Current restaurant(s)
Previous restaurant(s)
Television show(s)

Alexis Pascal Gauthier(born 24 June 1973) is a Frenchchef.He is the chef patron of theGauthier Sohorestaurant in Soho, London and was awarded a Michelin star in 2011. He previously held a Michelin star as head chef of the restaurantRoussilloninPimlico,London, until 2010. He trained underAlain DucasseatLe Louis XVin Monaco, and has appeared as a judge on two versions of theBBC Onetelevision showMasterChef.He became a vegan in 2016 and changed Gauthier Soho to a vegan menu in 2021 and opened 123 Vegan, a vegan cafeteria.[3]

Career[edit]

In 1991 he started working in a restaurant for the first time, at theHotel Negrescoin Nice, France. He moved to work underAlain Ducasseat hisLe Louis XVrestaurant in Monaco between 1993 and 1996.[1]He left Ducasse's employment to go toRoussilloninPimlico,London, which opened in 1998 with Gauthier as head chef.[4]The restaurant had previously been known as Marabel's, but was relaunched upon Gauthier's arrival.[5]In 2000, it was awarded aMichelin star.[4]It was also awarded threeAA Rosettes,and won theTime Out"Best Vegetarian Award" in both 2000 and 2001.[1]

During theBird Flu pandemicin 2005, Gauthier removed chicken, pigeon andfoie grasfrom the menu at Roussillon after he noticed a drop in demand.[6]Gauthier left Roussillon in 2010 to set up a new restaurant calledGauthier Soho;[7]he had been looking for a new location to open his own restaurant as he wanted to move away from his two business partners. Gauthier kept his share of the ownership of Roussillon.[8]Because of this, Roussillon lost its Michelin star and went on to go through two chefs before finally closing on 1 June 2012.[7][9]After it closed, Gauthier stated to the industry press that he hoped to be able to buy back the location.[4]

Gauthier Soho was set up in the space formerly occupied by theRichard Corriganrestaurant calledLindsay House.His takeover of the location included a full renovation of the location, with the conversion of the ground floor into a wine shop. The new restaurant was a joint venture between Gauthier andsommelierRoberto della Pietra.[10]A year after its opening, the new restaurant was also awarded a Michelin star.[1]

In 2011, whilst dining at the restaurantDuckSoup,Gauthier was seated at a table near tofood criticsMatthew NormanfromThe Daily TelegraphandTracey MacLeodfromThe Independent.MacLeod had previously given Gauthier Soho a critical review, while Norman had given the restaurant the best review it had received in Gauthier's opinion. Whilst sitting there, Gauthiertweetedthe actions of the food critics to his followers and criticised them on several points such as their loudness, a copy ofThe Independentsitting facing out in an open bag by MacLeod's feet and that Norman didn't know whataioliwas. Gauthier later said that it was "nothing personal", and the critics took it in good spirits with Norman saying, "I am extremely loud in restaurants because I am a little hard of hearing, my wife is thrilled that this has finally been independently confirmed."[11][12]

Gauthier doesn't believe in timers or pre-weighing food to determine cooking time. Instead, as demonstrated in his television appearances, he relies on touching food to determine whether or not it is cooked.[13]He also likes to showcase vegetables in his cooking, saying that "if they have the right texture you can play with vegetables like meat or fish".[14]Although he will create a vegetarian menu on request, his vegetable tasting menu at Gauthier Soho can include meat products such as a meatau jusin the preparation of the vegetables.[14]

In 2015, Gauthier changed his vegetable menu to be fullyvegan.The 'Les Plantes' menu went on to win 'Best Vegan Menu' at the PETA Food Awards 2016.[citation needed]Gauthier became a vegan in 2016;[15]he is now opposed to the "savagery" of meat, and "excited about a vegan future". He is transitioning his restaurants to be fully plant-based.[16]

Television work[edit]

He appeared withGregg WallaceandMichel Roux Jr.as a judge onBBC One'sMasterChef: The Professionalsin October 2009.[13]He later also appeared on the regularMasterChefseries, once more alongside Wallace, and also withJohn Torodein March 2011 and March 2019.[17]

Personal life[edit]

Gauthier was diagnosed in October 2010 with afatty liver,which resulted in him cutting down his calorie intake and listing calorie counts on his menu at Gauthier Soho.[18]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcd"Alexis Gauthier, Esq".Debrett's.Retrieved8 September2012.
  2. ^Lobrano, Alexander (28 January 2011)."Restaurant Review: Gauthier Soho in London".The New York Times.Retrieved8 September2012.
  3. ^Giliver, Liam (20 April 2021)."Michelin-Star Chef Alexis Gauthier Turns London Restaurant 100% Vegan Despite Pushback From Customers".Plant Based News.Retrieved20 April2021.
  4. ^abcKühn, Kerstin (12 June 2012)."Former chef-patron Alexis Gauthier hopes to buy back London restaurant Roussillon".Caterer and Hotelkeeper.Archived fromthe originalon 19 January 2013.Retrieved8 September2012.
  5. ^Stacey, Caroline (7 November 2008)."Food: French polish".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 27 February 2014.Retrieved8 September2012.
  6. ^Gerlin, Andrea (29 October 2005)."Feeding Birds, Not Fears".Time.Archived fromthe originalon 9 January 2007.Retrieved8 September2012.
  7. ^abKühn, Kerstin (11 June 2012)."Former Michelin-starred restaurant Roussillon closes blaming the economy".Caterer and Hotelkeeper.Retrieved7 September2012.
  8. ^Mullen, Rosalind (24 June 2010)."Alexis Gauthier takes over Lindsay House".Caterer and Hotelkeeper.Retrieved8 September2012.
  9. ^Vines, Richard (18 January 2011)."Michelin Guide Awards Second Star to Helene Darroze in London".Bloomberg.Retrieved8 September2012.
  10. ^Kühn, Kerstin (1 April 2010)."Alexis Gauthier buys former Richard Corrigan restaurant Lindsay House".Caterer and Hotelkeeper.Retrieved7 September2012.
  11. ^Sherwin, Adam (18 November 2011)."The food critics, the restaurateur and a spat that left a nasty taste".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 19 November 2011.Retrieved8 September2012.
  12. ^Norman, Matthew (18 November 2011)."Lunch for two with some Twitter on the side".The Daily Telegraph.Retrieved8 September2012.
  13. ^abSimon, Jane (12 October 2009)."Masterchef: The Professionals – BBC2, 8.30pm".Daily Mirror.Retrieved8 September2012.
  14. ^abSissons, Jemima (16 July 2010)."Putting Vegetables on Top".The Wall Street Journal.Retrieved8 September2012.
  15. ^"Home".alexisgauthier.co.uk.
  16. ^"Why French chef Alexis Gauthier turned vegan".4 July 2018.
  17. ^"Episode 6".BBC.Retrieved8 September2012.
  18. ^Adewunmi, Bim (6 July 2011)."Alexis Gauthier puts calorie counts on the menu".The Guardian.Retrieved8 September2012.

External links[edit]

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