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Jean-Louis Palladin (May 7, 1946 – November 25, 2001)[1] was a French-born chef who introduced French Nouvelle cuisine to the Washington elite at his restaurant, Jean-Louis at the Watergate, and influenced a generation of French and American chefs.[2]

Jean-Louis Palladin
Born	(1946-05-07)May 7, 1946 Condom, Gers, France
Died	November 25, 2001(2001-11-25) (aged 55) McLean, Virginia, United States
Nationality	French
Occupation	Chef
Known for	Jean-Louis at the Watergate

Early life

Jean-Louis Palladin was born on May 7, 1946,[3] in the small town of Condom, Gers in southwestern France.[4]

Palladin attended culinary school in Toulouse and then worked in the kitchen of an Italian restaurant in Condom.[5] The owner of the restaurant recognized Palladin's talent, and together they created a new restaurant, La Table des Cordeliers, where Palladin, at 28 years of age, would become the youngest chef in France to earn two Michelin stars.[4]

Jean-Louis at the Watergate

In 1979, Palladin was recruited to the United States to open a restaurant at the Watergate hotel.[2] Jean-Louis at the Watergate soon became the "in" place for Washington's politicians and socialites.[5] Its reputation blossomed during the Ronald Reagan administration, when many of President Reagan's associates from California moved into apartments at the Watergate and made Jean-Louis their regular meeting place.[2] President Reagan celebrated his 70th birthday at Jean-Louis at an intimate party that included actor Jimmy Stewart.[2]

Palladin sought to incorporate American ingredients on his menu: "The challenge of cooking in America," he said in 1987, "is to discover the newest and best products from the different states -- baby eels and lamprey from Maine, fresh snails from Oregon, blowfish from the Carolinas and California oysters -- and then to learn how to integrate them into your cuisine."[4] Jean-Louis became a destination for other prominent French and American chefs, such as Julia Child, Thomas Keller, and Daniel Boulud.[2] Éric Ripert worked under Palladin at the Watergate for a few years.[4]

For his cooking at the Watergate, Palladin won two James Beard Awards, including Outstanding Chef of 1993.[2] The restaurant never made a significant profit, however, due to its small size and expensive ingredients - Jean-Louis closed on June 15, 1996.[6]

Later career

In 1993, Palladin opened a second restaurant in Washington, Pesce in Dupont Circle.[2] In 1997, he opened a restaurant in Las Vegas, Napa at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.[5] In 1999, he allowed his name to be used at Palladin, a restaurant in the Time Hotel in New York City.[4]

Death and legacy

Palladin died of lung cancer on November 25, 2001, at his home in McLean, Virginia.[6] He was survived by two children, Olivier and Verveine Palladin.[6]

Palladin's colleagues and friends created a foundation in his name in 2002, which was subsumed under the James Beard Foundation in 2009.[7] The Foundation administers the Jean-Louis Palladin Professional Work/Study Initiative in Palladin's honor.[7]

Awards

• 1974 Michelin Stars for La Table des Cordeliers (Condom, Gers, France), the Michelin Guide.[8]
• 1984 Wine Spectator Grand Award.[9]
• 1987 Who's Who of Food and Beverage in the United States.[7]
• 1991 Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic, James Beard Foundation Award.[7]
• 1993 Outstanding Chef, James Beard Foundation Award.[7]

Cookbook

Jean-Louis, Cooking With the Seasons, Thomasson-Grant (1989).[10]

References

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