Related News
Storm in a souffle over 鈥楥heddargate鈥
Print Edition
A French celebrity chef has been branded a 鈥渄iva鈥 for taking the Michelin guide to court yesterday for suggesting he used cheddar cheese in a souffle.
In a case that could have far-reaching consequences for restaurant critics, chef Marc Veyrat is claiming he was 鈥渄ishonored鈥 by the red guide when it stripped his flagship restaurant in the French Alps of its coveted third star in January.
Dubbed 鈥淐heddargate鈥 by wags, he claimed that an 鈥渋ncompetent鈥 Michelin inspector mistakenly thought he had adulterated a souffle with the much-maligned English cheese instead of using France鈥檚 Reblochon, Beaufort and Tomme varieties.
It is the first time that a chef has sued the guide, the most prestigious in the world.
If Veyrat wins the case and forces Michelin to hand over its secret judging notes, it could cause an earthquake in the restaurant world, potentially setting a precedent for other disgruntled chefs.
Veyrat, 69, made his name with so-called 鈥渂otanical鈥 cooking using wild herbs gathered in his native Haute Savoie region. He said the Michelin review nearly broke him, sending him into an eight-month depression and leaving his cooks in tears. But Michelin hit back on the eve of the court battle, branding Veyrat a 鈥渘arcissistic diva鈥 suffering from 鈥減athological egotism.鈥
The larger-than-life figure, instantly recognizable for his wide-brimmed black Savoyard hat and dark glasses, said that the case is a matter of 鈥渉onor.鈥
鈥淭hat they said that my souffle was full of cheddar ... and that they took 鈥渕y virtual scallops鈥 to be real coquilles Saint-Jacques when they were made from a base of burbot (fish) livers from Lake Geneva,鈥 he said.
But Michelin鈥檚 lawyers were withering in response, calling the case 鈥済rotesque.鈥
鈥淭he court is not there to protect men鈥檚 vanity,鈥 barrister Richard Malka said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
