/ 20 March 2006

Famous French restaurateur dies aged 93

One of Paris’s most famous chefs, Rene Lasserre, who founded the legendary restaurant that bears his name, has died at the age of 93, the current owner said on Thursday.

Lasserre, who stepped down from the helm five years ago, died late on Wednesday, said Gerard Louis-Canfailla.

The elegant Lasserre restaurant on the avenue Franklin-Roosevelt was a bistro before Lasserre took it over in 1942 and turned it into one of the French capital’s best examples of fine dining.

Loved by showbiz stars and glitterati such as Maria Callas, Audrey Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich, the restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars in 1963.

Today rated two stars, Lasserre’s signature dishes are still served on fine china accompanied by crystal glasses, including his Andre Malraux pigeon, poached sole fillets and flambéed veal kidneys. — AFP