Éric Chavot (born 1967) is a French Michelin starred chef. He was working the head chef at the Bob Bob Cité and Bob Bob Ricard restaurants in London until January 2020,[1] as well as the consultant chef at the Royal Albert Hall's Coda restaurant.[2] Born in Arcachon, Gironde, Chavot was trained at the Boucanier, then at the Patio.[3][4]
In Britain
editChavot trained in France before moving to London to continue his culinary pursuits. He worked as sous chef under Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire; and then London's La Tante Claire and Harvey's.[5] He then worked as Head Chef at Marco Pierre White's "The Restaurant", the Hyde Park Hotel and Chez Nico at Ninety, Park Lane, London. He then started his own restaurant Interlude de Chavot and later Chavot on the Fulham Road.[5]
The Capital
editChavot was appointed Head Chef of The Capital Restaurant in August 1999, with the menu based around French cuisine-inspired dishes.[5] His flavourful and creatively presented dishes earned him two Michelin stars. The Guardian's critic Jay Rayner judged:
The point here is the food, which is the sort of brilliant faux paysanne stuff you get when you put a culinary aristocrat in the kitchen.[6]
Marco Pierre White describes Chavot as "The best in London without a doubt."[7] In 2008, Chavot represented the United Kingdom at the 25th anniversary celebration of the International Academy of Gastronomy, held at the Hotel Le Bristol in Paris.[8]
Selfridges and the Weston Family
editChavot left the Capital in 2009 and worked with French chef Pierre Koffman at a special Pop Up restaurant on Selfridges London. The Capital lost both its Michelin stars when he left. Chavot is an occasional columnist in The Observer,[9] and as a guest chef on Saturday Kitchen with James Martin. He caused controversy when accidentally swearing on the programme broadcast on 23 May 2009.[10]
After his stint at Selfridges he spent two seasons at the exclusive Weston estate in Florida troubleshooting their restaurants and implementing processes and methods for delivering his food to the residents.
Other restaurants
editAt the start of 2013 the eponymous Brasserie Chavot in Conduit Street was launched, next to and part of the Westbury hotel. It received a Michelin star the following year, but closed in 2015.[11] Chavot worked as the head chef of Bob Bob Cité, previously Bob Bob Ricard when he joined, from August 2017 to January 2020, citing "private, family reasons".[12][13]
References
edit- ^ Stagg, James (2 September 2017). "Eric Chavot named head chef of Bob Bob Cité". The Caterer. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ Witts, Sophie (30 October 2017). "Eric Chavot to consult on Royal Albert Hall restaurant". Big Hospitality. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ Le Point Londres : Connaissez-vous Chavot ? 2007 "Ce natif d'Arcachon, formé au Boucanier, puis au Patio, avant d'émigrer, ne se vanta de rien. Dur au labeur, modeste dans ses paroles, sûr de ses gestes, l'on suppose qu'à 36 ans tout rond il n'a pas dit son dernier mot L'un des meilleurs cuisiniers anglais : un Français sérieux et discret, natif d'Arcachon. "
- ^ L'ordre international vient de créer son antenne à Londres "De gauche à droite: au 2e plan, William Hamelin, Michel Escoffier, Michel Bourdin, Bernard-Louis Jaunet, Philippe Onofri, Hector Mackenzie, David Laval. Au 1er plan, Raymond Blanc, Gary Rhodes, John Williams, Éric Chavot, Philip Corrick, Ian Le Visconte."
- ^ a b c "Ercic Chavot – Profile". greatbritishchefs.com. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ "Jay Rayner on restaurants: Brasserie Chavot: restaurant review". The Guardian. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ^ "Exclusive: Marco Pierre White on why he's back behind the stove for TV's Hell's Kitchen", CatererSearch, Wednesday 25 April 2007
- ^ "Eric Chavot to represent the UK at Academy of Gastronomy anniversary". Caterer and Hotel Keeper. 25 November 2008. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
- ^ Roux, Michel; Chavot, Eric (24 February 2009). "How to cheat at French". The Observer. UK. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
- ^ "Complaints over swearing TV chef". BBC News. 24 May 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ Witts, Sophie (17 December 2015). "Michelin-starred Brasserie Chavot to close". Big Hospitality. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ Hughes, Emma (5 December 2019). "Acclaimed Chef Departs City Monument to Champagne and Caviar After Seven Months". Eater London. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ Lutrario, Joe (5 December 2019). "Au revoir: Eric Chavot to leave Bob Bob Cité". Big Hospitality. Retrieved 18 February 2021.