Alain Ducasse at the Essex House Restaurant is #2 in Top 10 Most Expensive Restaurants in New York City
Alain Ducasse is a famous Mon?gasque chef. He formerly held French nationality. In addition to his Louis XV restaurant in Monaco, he also operates an eponymous restaurant at the Plaza Ath?n?e in Paris. Until the closure of his New York restaurant at the Essex House hotel, he held three stars in the Michelin Guide in three different countries simultaneously. In January 2007 he took the position as chef of the Jules Verne Restaurant located in the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
History
In 1972, when he was sixteen, Ducasse began an apprenticeship at the Pavillon Landais restaurant in Soustons and at the Bordeaux hotel school. After this apprenticeship, he began work at Michel Gu?rard’s restaurant in Eug?nie-les-Bains while also working for Gaston Len?tre during the summer months. In 1977, Ducasse started working as an assistant at Moulin de Mougins under legendary chef Roger Verg?, creator of Cuisine du Soleil, and learned the Proven?al cooking methods for which he was later known.
Ducasse's first position as chef came in 1980 when he took over the kitchens at L’Amandier in Eug?ne Mougin. One year later, he assumed the position of head chef at La Terrasse in the H?tel Juana in Juan-les-Pins. In 1984, he was awarded two stars in the Michelin Red Guide. In that same year, Ducasse was the only survivor of a Learjet crash that nearly took his life.
Recently he obtained citizenship from Monaco.
Career as chef
In 1987, Ducasse was offered the Chef des Cuisines position at the H?tel de Paris in Monte Carlo, with management including the hotel's high end Le Louis XV restaurant. After three years, Louis XV was awarded three stars in the Red Guide. After assuring himself that the Hotel's other restaurant operations were operating well, Ducasse gave up management of all but the Le Louis XV restaurant.
In 1995, Ducasse expanded beyond the restaurant industry and opened La Bastide de Moustiers, a twelve-bedroom country inn in Provence and he began attaining financial interests in other Provence hotels
