French born in Vittel, Vosges, eastern France, 1954. No 3 of 4 boys, grows up in small village, mass on Sundays, little sh*t rest of the week. Every school holyday in grandparents farm, did everything except milk cows & drive tractor. Comes 14 and 'l'âge bête' lasting longer than expected. Numerous head scars. 1970-72 cooking school in Contrexéville, two diplomas thinking 'What a f***k am I doin' here?...'
Head Chef at 18, French restaurants next 20 years.
Full time chef: Brittany, Alps, Cannes, Vosges, Switzerland, French & Dutch West Indies Boston, Washington DC, Cape Cod & the Kennedys, Maryland, Paris, Ireland, Ibiza, London (37 years!).
42 jobs in all. 70 to 100 hrs/week.
Personal Chef to Mick Jagger, Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, bil-lionaires businessmen, Lords & Ladies... Another 20 years for the hyper wealthy.
My favourite dish : young women.
Have become an excellent photographer, my formidable passion for the visual and all beauty.
Very proud Dad of two gorgeous daughters, Jessica & Poppy, living with their Mums. Many memorable relationships, a few disastrous ones. Enough to have become a good Buddhist for the past 30 years.