Alain Chapel was a chef of French origin responsible for pioneering Nouvelle Cuisine alongside other chefs.
Professional Life of Chef Alain Chapel
Born in Lyon, Alain Chapel grew up with an early influence to cooking when his family moved and his father began a bistro known as La Mere Charles in a village called Mionnay, 12 miles beyond the city post World War II.
Alain began training within the kitchen of the bistro and in a typical chef-training manner of France used the time seconding to the nearby shops, getting a better hang of ingredients. Alain then went on to train under chef Fernand Point working in his restaurant "La Pyramide" located at Vienne, Isère. Thereafter in 1967 Chapel came back to his family bistro and secured the present restaurant its foremost Michelin star. He took over the restaurant completely in 1970 upon the death of his father, after which he transformed the inn into a hotel renaming it after his own name. In the year 1973, Chapel got the third Michelin star, with his restaurant being one among the 19 restaurants all over France to have ever gained the honor. Chapel was busy preparing for the opening of a restaurant in Florida, United States, in the year 1990 and while attending social events in Avignon, Chapel expired due to a stroke. The restaurant was later on took over and is currently managed by his wife Suzanne Chapel with Chef Philippe Jousse who was trained by Chapel as the Head Chef, as Chapel's son Romain is trained under Jousee inside the restaurant’s kitchens.
Achievements
Alain Chapel got his restaurants three stars between 1967 and 1973 a rare achievement among French restaurants in that time.
Popular Recipes by Chef Alain Chapel
- Alain Chapel made many food inventions that included signature dishes such as truffle-stuffed chicken tightly enveloped in a pork bladder and cooked in a rich chicken broth and stuffed calves' ears with fried parsley. The signature Alain Chapel recipes include Roasted rack of lamb with chopped pistachios, Œufs Poché (poached egg) on morels with asparagus, Filet de Rouget (Red mullet) with fennel seeds and Strawberries marinated with lemon vinegar.
- Mousse De Citron Vert is a typical one among Alain Chapel recipes into Nouvelle Cuisine to make a fine dessert.
- Alain Chapel recipes are deemed classical of Nouvelle cuisine and have been adopted by various chefs across the world with variations or otherwise.
