Roger Vergé

Roger Vergé
Roger Vergé
Born	7 April 1930 (age 96); Commentry, Allier, France
Died	5 June 2015 (aged 85)
Occupation(s)	Chef, restaurateur
Known for	Cuisine du soleil, nouvelle cuisine, Moulin de Mougins

Roger Vergé (7 April 1930 – 5 June 2015) was a distinguished French chef and restaurateur, widely regarded as one of the most influential culinary figures of his time. The Gault Millau once referred to him as "the quintessential French chef for an international audience."

Personal life

Vergé was born in Commentry, Allier, France, and developed a passion for cooking inspired by his aunt Célestine, to whom he dedicated numerous publications. His culinary journey began under the mentorship of Alexis Chanier at Le Bourbonnais, followed by training at esteemed venues such as the Tour d'Argent and Plaza Athénée. He broadened his expertise abroad with roles at establishments including Mansour de Casablanca in Morocco, L'Oasis in Algeria, and various restaurants in Kenya. Upon returning to Europe, he worked at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo in Monaco and Le Club de Cavalière located in Le Lavandou, France.

In addition to his culinary pursuits, Vergé was an enthusiastic art collector who partnered with artists like César Baldaccini, Arman, and Théo Tobiasse, integrating their artwork into his dining spaces.

Vergé died on 5 June 2015 at the age of 85 due to complications related to diabetes.

Cooking style

Vergé’s cuisine was characterized by a modern approach often described as cuisine du soleil, a style rooted in Provençal cooking. Together with contemporaries such as Paul Bocuse, Gaston Lenôtre, and others, he played a pivotal role in developing nouvelle cuisine, although Bocuse attributed the term’s origin to Henri Gault.<ref> His culinary philosophy emphasized the use of fresh, regional ingredients, marking a departure from the traditional cuisine classique.<ref>

In his inaugural cookbook, Cuisine of the Sun, Vergé articulated that “The ‘cuisine heureuse’ rejects heavy and ostentatious fare. It embraces a joyful and wholesome method of cooking that blends nature’s bounty like an arrangement of wildflowers.”<ref>

To advance this culinary ideology, he established l'École de Cuisine du Soleil Roger Vergé within l'Amandier located in Mougins.<ref>

Despite championing nouvelle cuisine, Vergé later critiqued its excesses, labeling it “a joke” in 1985 and describing it as “large plates with small servings lacking flavor but coming with high prices.”<ref>

Restaurants and other business ventures

In 1969, Roger Vergé and his wife Denise launched the prestigious Moulin de Mougins, which became one of France's premier dining establishments and served as a training ground for future culinary icons like Alain Ducasse, David Bouley, and Daniel Boulud. Situated near Cannes, it attracted numerous celebrities during the annual film festival.<ref>

He opened L’Amandier de Mougins in 1977 within the village center, where he specialized in cuisine Niçoise.<ref>

In 1982, Vergé collaborated with Bocuse and Lenôtre to create Les Chefs de France at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center, which also housed Le Bistro de Paris (currently known as Monsieur Paul).<ref> Later, in 2001, he introduced Medi at Rockefeller Center but departed from the venture within a year.<ref>

Vergé stepped back from active cooking in 2003, entrusting Le Moulin de Mougins to chef Alain Llorca.<ref>

The following year, he appeared in the documentary Monet's Palate, sharing the screen with notable figures such as Meryl Streep, Alice Waters, Daniel Boulud, and Michel Richard.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Awards

Vergé was honored with three Michelin stars for Moulin de Mougins in the years 1970, 1972, and 1974. In 1972, he received the prestigious title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in the category Métier de bouche. Additionally, in 1987, he was distinguished as a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor and recognized as a Maître Cuisinier de France. The first edition of the International Gastronomy Festival of Mougins held in 2006 paid tribute to Vergé.

Books

Vergé authored multiple significant culinary publications, with his most renowned being Ma Cuisine du Soleil (1978), which was translated into English as Cuisine of the Sun. He also produced a collection of works inspired by Alphonse Daudet's Lettres de mon moulin:

Ma cuisine du soleil (1978) – Focused on the cuisine of southern France
Les Fêtes de Mon Moulin (1993) – A guide to French-style entertaining
Les Légumes de Mon Moulin (1994) – Roger Vergé’s approach to French vegetable dishes
Les Tables de Mon Moulin (1998) – Modern French entertaining techniques
Les Fruits de Mon Moulin (1999) – Culinary creations featuring fruit by Roger Vergé

External links