Influential French chef Paul Bocuse dies at 91

Paul Bocuse, the French chef whose influence on the world of fine dining was incalculable, has died at the age of 91, according to the BBC. The chef is best known outside of his native France as the fouder of the Bocuse d’Or international cooking competition. 

Bocuse led the wave of chefs exploring what became known as nouvelle cuisine, a style of cooking that was much lighter and simpler than the traditional French cuisine, which relied on rich sauces. The chef’s main restaurant, L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, has had three Michelin stars since 1965, and Bocuse was named “chef of the century” by the Gault-Millau in 1989, and by the Culinary Institute of America in 2011.

In addition to helming his famous restaurant and creating the world’s foremost chef competition, Bocuse influenced generations of chefs who worked under him. Culinary figures across the globe posted condolences on social media, including Parisian chef Cyril Lignac, who thanked the late chef for the “good times spent together, the advice, laughter and guidance, and for elevating our profession to a noble art”.