3 Michelin Star Chefs: Alain Ducasse, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

Alain Ducasse is the chef patron of the eponymous three Michelin-starred restaurant, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester.

• Features, articles and interviews with Alain Ducasse
• Other three Michelin-starred chefs

French-born chef Alain Ducasse is one of the most renowned restaurateurs in the world.

Through his own successes in the kitchen, and overseeing teams who have earned Michelin stars in their own right, Alain Ducasse has the most accolades in the world to his name -  20, to be precise.

Biography

Born in 1956  in the Pyrenees, Alain began his culinary career as an apprentice at the Pavilion Landais Restaurant in Soustons, south western France, whilst studying at the Bordeaux Hotel School.

After his apprenticeships, he worked at three Michelin-starred Michel Guérard’s restaurant in Eugénie-les Bains, Les Prés d'Eugénie and for famous pastry chef Gaston Lenôtre at his 'Plaisir' restaurant in the Yvelines region. 

In 1977,  Alain started working as an assistant at Moulin de Mougins under legendary chef Roger Vergé, creator of Cuisine du Soleil and still considered one of the world's greatest chefs. It was here that he learned the Provencal cooking methods which earned him fame and accolades later on.

The chef's career took a decisive turn when he joined the brigade at L’amandier De Mougins in 1980, where he climbed through the ranks to the position of head chef.

He joined the Bistrot La Terrasse in the luxurious Hôtel Juana in Antibes, in 1981 as head chef. In 1984, he and his team were awarded two Michelin stars.

The event of 1984 was to prove a trialling setback to Alain Ducasse, as it was travelling from Saint-Tropez to Courchevel that he was involved in a major aircraft crash and was left the sole survivor.

The chef was left seriously injured but undeterred in his determination to live his life doing what he loved.

In 1986, Alain Ducasse was offered a position at the
Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo in Monaco.

In 1988, the chef opened La Bastide de Moustiers in Le Verdon, slightly inland between Nice and Marseille, and gained financial interests in several other regional Provence hotels.

In 1996, the Alain Ducasse restaurant opened in Le Parc-Sofitel Demeure Hotels in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, which was awarded three Michelin stars eight months later.

The restaurateur expanded his business to the United States in June 2000, opening another eponymous restaurant in New York’s Essex House Hotel, which gained three Michelin stars in 2005.

The chef later closed this and relocated the venture to Las Vegas, calling it Mix. Mix earned a Michelin star but the guide has since discontinued its repertorial of the Nevada city.

In 2008, Alain Ducasse became a citizen of Monaco.

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester opened in 2007 and is one of 30 restaurants overseen by the chef and restaurateur around the world.

It was awarded three stars in the 2010 guide, has 4 rosettes from the AA Restaurant Guide and scored a 7 out of 10 in the final edition of the Good Food Guide in 2020, which according to its criteria meant that the restaurant shows "high level of ambition," attention to the smallest detail and "accurate and vibrant dishes."

Exec chef Jean-Philippe Blondet takes a modern and refined approach, with produce sourced mainly from British and French suppliers, with no qualms about sourcing the best ingredients from around the world. 

Alain Ducasse’s other awards and accolades

Alain became the first chef to own three three Michelin Stars in three cities, and at one point the chef had 21 Michelin stars to his name. The World's 50 Best Restaurants List named Alain the Lifetime Achievement award in 2013.

Other ventures and endeavours

Alain Ducasse opened a cookery school in Paris in 2009, offering courses in cooking, pâtisserie and oenology at all levels.

The chef has also written a number of cookery books, most notably his culinary encyclopedia released in 2001, and most recently,Nature: Simple, Healthy, and Good, released in 2016 and Bistro: Classic French Comfort Food in 2018.

The chef started his own chocolate brand, opening luxury outlets in Paris in 2013, followed by Tokyo and London in 2018 called 'Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse.'

The brand now also has an ice cream range, 'La Glace Alain Ducasse' available at 27 sites across Paris, London and Japan.

In 2019, he opened a coffee shop, 'Le Café Alain Ducasse' in Paris and  London's Coal Drops Yard. 

With all three ventures, sourcing is crucial to the chef, making sure ingredients are not only of the highest quality but that supply chains are transparent and ethical.

When it comes to the production of chocolate, coffee and ice cream, he believes in meticulous craftsmanship and expertise are worthy of creating the experience he wants to deliver to his customers.

Alain Ducasse's Philosophy:

Having taught today's great talent - from Clare Smyth and Hélène Darroze to Claude Bosi, Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari, the chef considers it his responsibility to perpetuate the knowledge of French culinary classics, which he sees as the foundation for all greatness. 

Faced with an industry brimming with talent, the chef said that he is glad not to have to contend with today's greats. 

 "I'm glad to see the end of my career than to have to start today," he said in an interview with The Staff Canteen, laughing at the thought that "If I was forty now, I would face much more competition than I did when I was forty."

That having been said, Alain has no plans to retire anytime soon, and believes that he's never worked a day in his life. 

"It's a hobby. I say that I'm working, but in reality, I'm living out my dream." 

Videos of Alain Ducasse: