PARIS • A French celebrity chef, who said he was hurt after he lost a prized third Michelin star, has received a booster shot.
Marc Veyrat, 69, who is suing the Michelin guide for suggesting he used cheddar cheese in a souffle, was named on Monday as one of the 10 immortals of haute cuisine by the rival Gault & Millau guide.
He was given a permanent place in the new academy of the "Golden Toque" alongside Guy Savoy, Alain Passard, Alain Ducasse and other legends of French cuisine.
The news was seen as a swipe at its arch rival Michelin, which has been accused by Veyrat of "dishonouring" him by stripping him of his coveted third star in January.
The chef – a larger than life figure instantly recognisable for his wide-brimmed black Savoyard hat and dark glasses – is taking the guide to court later this month to try to force Michelin to hand over its inspectors' notes.
Veyrat has made his name with so-called "botanical" cooking, employing the wild herbs gathered in his native Haute Savoie region.
The controversy around his lost Michelin star centres on claims that its inspector mistakenly thought he had adulterated a souffle with English cheddar instead of using France's reblochon, beaufort and tomme varieties.
"I put saffron in it and the gentleman who came thought it was cheddar because it was yellow. It's just crazy," Veyrat said. He also claimed that a new generation of editors at the head of the Michelin guide were out to make their names by taking down the giants of French cuisine.
Gault & Millau announced its new academy feRead More – Source
