.jpg)
|
|---|
Friday, June 29, 2007
I was going to post on croissants today...but I found a menu dated June 29, 1994 from the M.O.F. luncheon Paul Bocuse gave in Lyon 13 years ago. I was a volunteer photographer at The James Beard Foundation for 7+ years. 
For an exhibit of chef portraits, I painted a chef's jacket to wear to the opening. Bragard, chef jacket makers, contacted me and asked me to paint a "portrait" jacket for Paul Bocuse to wear to the Chicago Food show.
I wrote M. Bocuse requesting photos. I got back
I wrote M. Bocuse requesting photos. I got back
An invitation to his Meilleur Ouvriers De France celebration luncheon in Lyon. Mon dieu! The M.O.F. is the highest award in France for a craftsman.
There was no way I could miss this soiree!
Painted jacket + painted portrait of M. Bocuse + 4 jackets to wear to the luncheon off I went to the best party of my life! I had nothing elegant to wear so I changed my painted chef's jackets in the Loo 4x instead.M.Bocuse is a clever guy. Every guest got their own M.O.F. medal!By the end of the luncheon every guest was wearing this napkin ring on their wrist, singing Fr songs and waving their arms in the air.
The menu was superb bien sur! No one in THE WHOLE WORLD gives a party the way the French do.
Every French food person of note was at the soiree. France's best cheese person, best chocolate maker, best butter maker etc...Siro Maccioni of Le Cirque and I were the only "American" invitees!Here I am sitting beside Jacques Maximin formerly chef of Hotel Negresco 
I was shooting for FOOD ARTS Magazine so I took a group shot of all the great French chefs.
M.Bocuse was instrumental in my new career with Mumm Champagne. He was their spokesperson, though he speaks not a word of English. But his French charm is contagious.
Mumm asked me to develope a promotional portrait program for them. I painted stacks of Mumm labels they could attach to bottles and gift to their restranteurs 
After 2 days of partying in Lyon, I had to return to Paris. Bocuse, always the gracious host, asked his secretary make me a reservation on the TGV. But I arrived late and jumped on the train sans billet/ticket...When the conductor came by, I explained I'd been caught in traffic,
but Chef Bocuse made a reservation. He paused, thought a moment and then said OK and walked on.
Only in France can you drop the name of a great chef and get a free ride from Lyon to Paris!
BONNE 13th ANNIVERSAIRE of your M.O.F. award,
PAUL BOCUSE et GRANDE MERCI!
0 Comments:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
LinkWithin
