Pierre Gagnaire: A Life in the Kitchen | Julien Fouin Nicolas Rouvière

Pierre Gagnaire's life is worthy of being featured in a Balzac novel. How did this shy little boy, born in a village in the Forez, not sure of himself, not very good at studies and who never wanted to cook, become one of the most famous chefs in the world? Everyone loves hero stories and in a way, Pierre Gagnaire heroically managed to overcome the resounding bankruptcy of his restaurant which had 3 Michelin stars in Saint-Etienne. He didn't collapse, he started stronger, higher, faster, he totally reinvented himself at the age of 46, at an age when most chefs who started cooking like him at 16, are already at the end of their rope.

In this intimate book, Julien Fouin tells the story of why Pierre Gagnaire is not only a world-famous chef, but also a unique artist. It took more than 3 years of research in the chef's archives, sifting through hundreds of letters, articles, recipes and meetings with all his loved ones to decipher the Gagnaire mystery.