Social media supplants Michelin for French chefs
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It sent a shock wave through the world of French cuisine. Jean Imbert, best known for winning a reality television show and hobnobbing with stars, replaced the most decorated chef in the world, Alain Ducasse, at one of the finest restaurants in Paris.
The June announcement that Imbert, 40, would take over at the illustrious Plaza Athenee, was met with much harrumphing and pursing of lips among the fusty corners of the French culinary world.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like getting a rocker to perform at the Opera de Paris,鈥 one 鈥渆xpert des grands tables鈥 told Challenges magazine.
But for many of France鈥檚 top chefs, it is hardly a surprise.
鈥淎 chef that stays in the kitchen, who isn鈥檛 鈥業nstagrammable,鈥 reaching out to the public, is no longer in the race. Restaurants can鈥檛 survive without publicity. There are so many of us,鈥 said Christian Le Squer, head chef at the three Michelin-starred Le Cinq at the George V hotel in Paris.
Le Squer, 58, learned this lesson from the best: He was assigned to train Imbert during his winning performance on 鈥淭op Chef,鈥 the hugely successful TV competition, in 2012.
Le Squer gave him tips of the trade, and Imbert returned the favor by helping Le Squer set up his Instagram account.
Ducasse may have had more Michelin stars than anyone in the world, 鈥渂ut he perhaps didn鈥檛 find his audience on Instagram,鈥 said Le Squer.
Even more than social media, 鈥淭op Chef鈥 has changed the rules of the game.
Originally launched in the United States, the show arrived in France in 2010, pitting professional cooks against each other in a knock-out competition.
It has become more than just an amusing side dish for chefs 鈥 it is 鈥渁 trampoline to success,鈥 said chef Mory Sacko, who took part last year.
He used the publicity to help launch his restaurant MoSuke, bringing the flavors of francophone Africa to the French capital, and now fronts his own TV show.
Le Squer said that previously, chefs made a name for themselves in the industry by winning professional contests and titles, such as 鈥渢he best craftsman of France.鈥
鈥淣ow, it鈥檚 trial by TV,鈥 he said.
Helene Darroze 鈥 a decorated chef with five Michelin stars 鈥 has also become a household name thanks to her regular appearances on 鈥淭op Chef.鈥
鈥淭he competition attracts more and more very talented young people,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 astonished 鈥 they all have agents. I鈥檝e never had an agent in my life.鈥
But Darroze sees this as a positive thing 鈥 elevating the job of chef in the eyes of the public.
And a social media presence proved vital for many chefs during the hard months of pandemic-induced closures.
Imbert is the perfect illustration of the new trend, using his victory in 2012 to launch a restaurant in partnership with singer/songwriter Pharrell Williams, and pick up more than 400,000 followers on Instagram.
鈥淒ucasse was a man of big ideas, but he lacked a narrative,鈥 said Philippe Moreau Chevrolet, head of public relations firm MCBG Conseil. 鈥淛ean Imbert, on the other hand, is always telling stories 鈥 about his grandmother, the time he dined with Pharrell Williams 鈥 with words, images, videos and selfies.鈥
It marks a cultural shift, he added, as the importance of Michelin stars fades in comparison to the power of a selfie by model Bella Hadid in your restaurant kitchen.
鈥楢 dangerous game鈥
When David Gallienne from Jardin des Plumes in Giverny won 鈥淭op Chef鈥 in 2020, his Instagram followers jumped from 5,000 to 50,000.
鈥淪ocial media is part of how we are known and exist today,鈥 he said.
He ran online master classes during France鈥檚 lockdowns last year, followed by a competition in which participants compared their culinary creations on Instagram 鈥 with a free lunch in Gallienne鈥檚 restaurant for the winner.
It鈥檚 all part of the job, even if everyone is acutely aware that a big online presence carries risks.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to play the game, even if it can be a very dangerous game,鈥 said Gallienne. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to weigh your words carefully. They can just as easily hurt you as help you. It鈥檚 a full-time job in itself, and in the future, I will probably delegate it to someone else entirely.鈥
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