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OUR CHEFS 2016


Pascal Barbot

Pascal Barbot is the most unconventional three-star Michelin chef in France. He is one of the most reputed and internationally-acclaimed French chefs, having worked in the South Pacific and Australia for several years before returning to Paris more than a decade ago.

From the age of seven, Pascal Barbot knew he wanted to be a chef. Raised in the small town of Auvergne in central France, he spent time harvesting vegetables in his father’s garden and watching his parents prepare traditional regional cuisine. As a young culinary student and an avid traveler, Barbot began his hands-on education at some of the top restaurants in Europe and Australia. His early training included stints at Maxim’s in Paris, Clave in Claremont-Ferrand, Les Saveurs in London, and Troisgros in Roanne. He then worked with mentor Chef Alain Passard at L’Arpège, who, over the course of a five-year working relationship, taught him to respect the most basic of products. It was during that time that he met Christophe Rohat, with whom he partnered to open Astrance in July of 2000. Astrance turned out to be a culinary force in the Parisian restaurant scene receiving its first Michelin star after only one year, the second star in 2005, and the third in 2007. Barbot earned the prestigious Best Cook in France award in 2005.

In the kitchens of Astrance, Pascal redefines French cuisine by steering away from traditional staples like cream, butter and salt, replacing them with fresh local ingredients. His food - basic produce and meats layered with intricate flavors - reflects both his humble upbringing and his high-level training.World traveller, Pascal uses his many journeys as a source of inspiration, ceaselessly reinventing his recipes and giving free reign to his imagination.
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