Pierre Koffmann
Pierre Koffmann | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 21, 1948 Tarbes, France |
| Occupation | Chef |
| Years active | 1970–2016 |
| Known for | La Tante Claire, Koffmann's (restaurant) |
Pierre Koffmann (born 21 August 1948) is a distinguished French chef, recognized as one of the rare culinarians in the United Kingdom to have earned three Michelin stars for his London establishment, La Tante Claire. Up until December 2016, he served as the executive chef at Koffmann's, located within The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge, London.
Early life
Koffmann was born in Tarbes, France, and is descended from Alsatian German lineage. His early culinary education was influenced by his maternal grandparents in Saint-Puy, where he acquired traditional cooking skills during school breaks. After completing his schooling in 1963, he underwent three years of formal culinary training.
Career
Koffmann's professional journey as a chef began in Strasbourg and Toulon. In 1970, he relocated to the UK to collaborate with Michel and Albert Roux at Le Gavroche. By 1972, he had been appointed the inaugural head chef at their new venue, the Waterside Inn, where he also met his future spouse, Annie.
In 1977, Koffmann established his debut restaurant, La Tante Claire, situated in Chelsea. Six years later, it was awarded three Michelin stars. The restaurant moved to The Berkeley hotel in 1998, while its original premises became Gordon Ramsay’s flagship location. Throughout this era, Koffmann played a mentorship role for chefs including Ramsay, Marco Pierre White, and Marcus Wareing. Among his renowned creations was a dish featuring pig's trotter accompanied by chicken mousseline, sweetbreads, and morels—a recipe that Marco Pierre White has praised as his preferred dish.
Following the passing of Annie, Koffmann decided to close La Tante Claire in 2003. After a short break and a period working at the Bleeding Heart pub in Clerkenwell, he initiated a pop-up restaurant at Selfridges in 2009, presenting classic dishes from La Tante Claire. The initial ten-day event was extended to two months due to popular demand.
On 30 June 2010, Koffmann reopened a full-scale restaurant named Koffmann's at The Berkeley hotel. This marked a shift away from pursuing Michelin star recognition toward offering Gascon-inspired cuisine reflective of his upbringing. The restaurant ceased operations on 31 December 2016; the venue was planned for conversion into a fitness center.
In 2021, Koffmann collaborated with former Bloomberg Chief Food Critic Richard Vines to create the restaurant review platform koffmannandvines.com.