Michel Portos
Michel Portos | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 4, 1963 Marseille, France |
| Occupation | Chef |
| Known for | Two Michelin stars, Cuisinier de l'année (2012) |
Michel Portos (born 4 April 1963) is a distinguished French chef who has earned two Michelin stars.
Early life and education
Hailing from Marseille, Portos was raised by a father who worked as an accountant and a mother who ran a shop. His culinary interest was sparked early on, largely influenced by his mother’s cooking. Although he initially considered careers as a diver and a motorcyclist with the Gendarmerie Nationale, he ultimately decided to pursue gastronomy, despite his father's preference for him to follow accounting or business studies. After completing his secondary education, he attended the Marseille hotel school where he obtained a CAP (Certificat d'Aptitude Professionnelle) in culinary arts in 1983.
Career
Portos began his professional journey with internships in the Bordeaux area, working at establishments such as Chapon Fin and the Michelin-starred Rouzic under chef Michel Gautier. In 1989, he continued his training at Les Jardins de l'Opéra in Toulouse, followed by a five-year tenure as sous-chef at the Troisgros family restaurant located in Roanne. His entrepreneurial path started in 1998 when he launched his first dining venue, Coté Théâtre in Perpignan, which was awarded a Michelin star by 2001. In 2002, Portos took over as head chef at the hotel-restaurant Le Saint-James in Bouliac, guiding it to achieve a second Michelin star in 2009. Recognized as "Cuisinier de l'année" by Gault Millau in 2012, he departed Bordeaux that same year to open Le Malthazar in Marseille. Two years later, in 2014, he inaugurated another Marseille-based restaurant, Le Poulpe, situated near the Old Port.