Industry pays tribute to 'great chef and mentor' Michel Bourdin

06-Feb-2023 - Last updated on 06-Feb-2023 at 11:29 GMT

Chef Michel Bourdin, who led the kitchens at The Connaught hotel in London's Mayfair for more than 25 years, has died at the age of 80.

His death was announced late last week by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, of which Bourdin was a founding member.

Posting on Instagram (see below), the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts said: “It is with great sadness that we heard this evening that the great Michel Bourdin sadly passed away.

“Michel was a founder of the Academy of Culinary Arts and instrumental in pursuing our Royal title of which we are so proud. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Bourdin was born in 1943 and his expansive career included working as sous-chef at the historic Paris restaurant Maxim's, and cooking at the Pavillon Royal in the Bois de Boulogne.

He joined The Connaught as head chef in 1975, taking over from Daniel Dunas, and would go on to lead the hotel's culinary direction for the next 26 years.

While there, Bourdin continued The Connaught's reputation for culinary excellence at The Grill Room and The Restaurant, and oversaw the development of what would become known as the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of hotel kitchens.

News of Bourdin's death has led to an outpouring of tributes from chefs across the industry, with Michel Roux Jr describing him as 'a great chef and mentor to many British chefs coming through the ranks'; and James Martin calling him a 'legend'.

Writing on Twitter, Paul Heathcote MBE said: “RIP Michel Bourdin you changed a whole generation of chefs careers keeping true to a century of skills and techniques never allowing them to fade, but then raising the level of your craft, so many will be grateful for being part of your kitchen brigade including myself.”