Antoine Westermann
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Antoine Westermann is a
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
chef A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a kitche ...
born in 1949 in the Alsatian town of Wissembourg, on the northeast border of
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. He held 3
Michelin Guide The Michelin Guides ( ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The Guide awards up to three Michelin star (classification), stars for excellence to a select few establishments. The ac ...
stars for his
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
''Le Buerehiesel'' and maintained a star rating at the restaurant for over 31 years until 2007, when he asked the Michelin Guide to remove them.


Biography


Early life

Antoine Westermann decided to become a chef at age 8, encouraged by his father. He studied at ''L'Ecole Hôteliere'' in
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
while apprenticing at the nearby ''Buffet de la Gare''. In 1969, after Westermann earned his professional diploma, his father took out a
mortgage A mortgage loan or simply mortgage (), in civil law jurisdicions known also as a hypothec loan, is a loan used either by purchasers of real property to raise funds to buy real estate, or by existing property owners to raise funds for any pu ...
on the historic family home to purchase a small farmhouse in the middle of Strasbourg's ''Parc de l'Orangerie'' for Westermann, then 23, to turn into a restaurant. That spot became ''Le Buerehiesel'', the
Alsatian dialect Alsatian ( gsw-FR, Elsässisch, links=no or "Alsatian German"; Lorraine Franconian: ''Elsässerdeitsch''; french: Alsacien; german: Elsässisch or ) is the group of Alemannic German dialects spoken in most of Alsace, a formerly disputed regio ...
meaning for "little farmhouse".


1969-2007: ''Le Buerehiesel''

Westermann remained head chef and proprietor of ''Le Buerehiesel'' for 38 years. Located in a traditional 17th-century Alsatian building, the restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 1975, followed by a second star in 1983.


1994

In 1994, 25 years after its opening, ''Le Buerehiesel'' was awarded both a 3-star Michelin ranking and a 19/20 rating in the " Gault & Millau Guide" while Westermann was named one of France's top chefs along with
Joël Robuchon Joël Robuchon (, 7 April 1945 – 6 August 2018) was a French chef and restaurateur. He was named "Chef of the Century" by the guide Gault Millau in 1989, and awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (France's best worker) in cuisine in 1976. ...
,
Michel Bras Michel Bras (born 4 November 1946) is a French chef. His restaurant located in Laguiole in the Aveyron was rated three stars in the Guide Michelin since 1999. It is also classed in the "Relais & Châteaux" since 1992. He was classed several time ...
,
Guy Savoy Guy Savoy (; born 24 July 1953) is a French chef who is the head chef and owner of the eponymous ''Guy Savoy'' restaurant in Paris and its sister restaurant in Las Vegas, both of which have gained multiple Michelin stars. He owns three other res ...
and Alain Ducasse.


1998-2006: Other Endeavors

From 1998 to 2006 Westermann oversaw the kitchen operations at ''Fortaleza do Guincho'' in
Cascais Cascais () is a town and municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The municipality has a total of 214,158 inhabitants in an area of 97.40 km2. Cascais is an important tourism in Portugal, tourist de ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, alongside executive chef Vincent Farges. The restaurant has retained one Michelin star since 2001.


2007

In 2007, Westermann gave up his 3 stars to turn to new culinary adventures. His son, Eric Westermann took over ''Le Buerehiesel'' and won 1 Michelin star in 2008.


2003-2017: ''Mon Vieil Ami''

In homage to his mother's cuisine, Westermann opened the vegetable-centric bistro ''Mon Vieil Ami'' (meaning "My Old Friend") in 2003. The restaurant became the first '' table d'hôte'' in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, an otherwise traditional Alsatian format that ran until its closing in 2017.


2006-2018: ''Drouant''

In 2006, Westermann overtook operations at Paris's historic ''
Drouant ''Drouant'' is a well-known restaurant located in the Palais Garnier neighborhood in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, France. It was founded in 1880 by Charles Drouant. The restaurant has been receiving the jury of the Prix Goncourt every year ...
'', where the deliberations for the
Goncourt The Goncourt brothers (, , ) were Edmond de Goncourt (1822–1896) and Jules de Goncourt (1830–1870), both French naturalism writers who, as collaborative sibling authors, were inseparable in life. Background Edmond and Jules were born to m ...
and Renaudot prizes have taken place since 1914. Westermann sold ''Drouant'' to
restaurateurs A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspec ...
Gardinier & Fils in 2018.


2012: ''Le Coq Rico''

From 2012 on, Westermann focused on his passion for
poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails, a ...
. He has since stated desire to develop his vision of eating meat well, believing that quality poultry must be farmed responsibly. By working hand-in-hand with local farmers and ensuring complete transparency in the sourcing process, Westermann hopes to expand the market for ethical meat production throughout France and the United States. He created the brand and the first concept of a mono-maniac bistro around poultry, ''Le Coq Rico'', in Paris. The restaurant is recognized as the best roasted chicken in Paris by several food critics. On September 2021, ''Le Coq Rico'' became ''Le Coq & Fils - The Poultry House''


2016-2018

On the strength of this Parisian success, he developed his ''
savoir-faire ''Savoir-Faire'' is a piece of interactive fiction written by Emily Short, about a magician in 18th-century France searching his aristocratic adoptive father's house. It won the Best Game, Best Story, Best Individual Player Character and Best ...
'' in New York and branded ''Le Coq Rico'' in financial association with Francis Staub. The success was immediate (2 stars at the NY Times, Best Roasted Poultry from NYC ) and advocates for small poultry farmers in NY. In August 2018, he was suddenly dismissed from office by his partner. From now on, he states a desire to deepen his work around poultry, strengthen his links with farmers, and gain, on his own scale, a sincere and complete traceability. He works hand in hand with farmers on the development of old breeds, such as the red turkey of the
Ardennes The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...
, the
Landes ''Landes'', or ''Lanas'' in Gascon, means moorland or heath. ''Landes'' and ''Lanas'' come from the Latin ''plānus'' meaning “‘flat, even, level, plain’”. They are therefore cognate with the English plain (and plane), the Spanish word '' ...
poultry, the poultry of
Contre Contre (; pcd, Conte) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Contre is situated on the D242 road, some southwest of Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commun ...
, the Naked Neck of Forez,
La Flèche La Flèche () is a town and commune in the French department of Sarthe, in the Pays de la Loire region in the Loire Valley. It is the sub-prefecture of the South-Sarthe, the chief district and the chief city of a canton, and the second most po ...
. He shares his passion for poultry from all over France, with "''Le tour de France des belles volailles''" - a monthly event with an old breed in addition to the menu. He continues to develop his work in the United States where he is the ambassador of the Live Stock Conservancy, an organization that manages the reintroduction and enhancement of ancient American breeds.


Restaurants


France

* 1969-2007: ''Le Buerehiesel'' - 3 stars Michelin Guide in
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
* 2003-2016: ''Mon Vieil Ami'' in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
* 2006-2018: ''Drouant'' ''by Antoine Westermann'' in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
* 2012 - Today: ''Le Coq & Fils, The Poultry House -'' formerly ''Le Coq Rico'' * 2013-2017: ''La Dégustation'' in Paris - an ode to the art of French appetizing in the
Montmartre Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...
neighborhood of Paris.


United States

* 2002-2005: Restaurant ''Café 15'' at the Sofitel Lafayette Square Hotel in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
* 2006-2013: ''Le Café du Parc'' - Pennsylvania Avenue in
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
* 2016-2018: ''Le Coq Rico'' -
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...


Portugal

* 1999-2016: ''Fortaleza do Guincho'' in
Cascais Cascais () is a town and municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The municipality has a total of 214,158 inhabitants in an area of 97.40 km2. Cascais is an important tourism in Portugal, tourist de ...
* 2007-2012: ''Uva Restaurant'' at the ''The Vine Hotel'' in
Funchal Funchal () is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Madeira, Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it the sixth largest city in Portugal. Because of ...


Cooking style

Westermann's cooking style is anchored in his Alsatian identity, frequently reinventing traditional Alsatian recipes to create signature dishes such as "Beer Brioche", "Oyster Soup", and "''Pâté en Croûte''." Outside of Alsace, Westermann's style is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean cuisine of South-Eastern France. Westermann is a proponent of the ethical sourcing of meat, believing, "O''mnivore oui, mais pas a n'importe quel prix!''" (roughly translating to, "I am an omnivore, but with a standard.") The menu at ''Le Coq Rico'' is dedicated to the highest quality, responsibly raised, and genetically exceptional whole birds presented as shared meals for up to 4 people, including multiple breeds of chicken, rooster, guinea fowl, and duck.
NYTIMES : Poultry Has a Pedigree at Le Coq Rico
Chef Westermann claims his adventure for the future is working hand in hand with farmers to reintroduce the public to the richness of ancient poultry breeds and sharing his passion for cooking poultry in French, European, and American regions.


Recipes

* Young Hen in a ''
Baeckeoffe Baeckeoffe (English: "bake oven") is a casserole dish that is typical in the French region of Alsace, situated on the border with Germany. In the Alsatian dialect, Baeckeoffe means "baker's oven". It is a mix of sliced potatoes, sliced onions, cu ...
'' * Recipe of Young Fatted Hen
Terrine Terrine may refer to: * Terrine (cookware), a vessel for cooking a forcemeat loaf * Terrine (food), a forcemeat similar to pâté {{Disambiguation ...
with
Fennel Fennel (''Foeniculum vulgare'') is a flowering plant species in the carrot family. It is a hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It is indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean but has become widely naturalized ...
& '' Foie Gras'' * Recipe of Frog's Legs with ''Schniederspaetle'' *
Daube Daube is a classic Provençal (or more broadly, French) stew made with inexpensive beef braised in wine, vegetables, garlic, and ''herbes de Provence'', and traditionally cooked in a daubière, a braising pan. A traditional daubière is a terrac ...
of Warm Vegetables with a Salad of White Haricots with Aged Vinegar *
Beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...
Brioche


Books

* ''Le Coq Rico, La Cuisine des Belles Volailles'' by Antoine Westermann, photos by Marie-Pierre Morel, illustrations by Shane & Christophe Meyer - Editions Marabout, 2013 * ''La Cuisine de Monsieur Momo'' by Maurice Joyant and
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Comte Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901) was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist and illustrator whose immersion in the colourful and theatrical life of Paris in the ...
, recipes of Antoine Westermann - Editions Menu Fretin, 2011 * ''Cuisine-moi des Étoiles'' by Jean Orizet and Antoine Westermann - Editions Le Cherche midi, 2009 * ''La Cuisine Ménagère d'un Grand Chef'' by Antoine Westermann - Editions Minerva, 1999 * ''L'Alsace des Saveurs Retrouvées'' by Antoine Westermann -
Editions Albin Michel Edition may refer to: * Edition (book), a bibliographical term for a substantially similar set of copies * Edition (printmaking), a publishing term for a set print run * Edition (textual criticism), a particular version of a text * Edition Records ...
, 1998 ; ;Chefs books ''Burger de Chefs'' by Thérèse Rocher photos by Delphine Amar-Constantini -
Éditions Larousse Éditions Larousse is a French publishing house specialising in reference works such as dictionaries. It was founded by Pierre Larousse and its best-known work is the ''Petit Larousse''. It was acquired from private owners by Compagnie Europée ...
pages 192 to 194: Poultry Burger and Strass'Burger, 2014 * ''Le Nouvel Art Culinaire Français'' - Editions
Flammarion Flammarion may refer to: * Camille Flammarion (1842–1925), French astronomer and author * Gabrielle Renaudot Flammarion (1877–1962), French astronomer, wife of Camille Flammarion * Flammarion engraving by unknown artist; appeared in a book by C ...
, 2012 * ''Les 100 Mots de la Gastronomie'' by Alain Bauer & Laurent Plantier - Editions Que sais-je?, 2010 * ''Trois Étoiles au Michelin: Une Histoire de la Haute Gastronomie Française et Européenne'' by Jean-François Mesplède, preface by Alain Ducasse - Editions Gründ, 2004 * ''La Haute Cuisine Française, les Recettes Emblématiques des Grands Chefs du Monde'' by Nicolas de Rabaudy, preface by Antoine Westermann, illustrations of Sandrine Courau and Reno Marca - Editions Minerva, 2001


References


External links

*
Official Twitter

Official Facebook Le Coq Rico
* The French Wikipedia of Antoine Westermann {{DEFAULTSORT:Westermann, Antoine 1946 births French chefs French cuisine Living people Head chefs of Michelin starred restaurants