Veteran chef to French presidents, hangs up his apron

For 40 years, Bernard Vaussion has stirred and sauteed, poached and parboiled, reduced and roasted for six French presidents and their guests.

But now it is time for the head chef of Elysee Palace to hang up his apron.

Mr Vaussion has retired after preparing his final lunch for president Francois Hollande, a menu of crab with celery remoulade, tournedos steak with mushrooms, and a flaky 'millefeuille' pastry with raspberries.

He will be replaced by 35-year-old Guillaume Gomez, who has already worked for 17 years in the kitchen that serves up the best of French cuisine to help the head of state soothe domestic tensions and smooth the way in international diplomacy.

On his last shift in the 500-square-metre kitchen where hundreds of copper saucepans, some dating from the time of 19th century King Louis Philippe, are put to the flame each day, Mr Vaussion said Mr Hollande had been easy to please.

"There's not a lot that he doesn't like. He's someone who likes to eat," he said.

Mr Vaussion, who learned his craft from his mother, has overseen a staff of 20 for the last nine years, which has been all been male except for a female pastry apprentice.

He said while all the presidents for whom he cooked were food lovers, "Mr [Jacques] Chirac had an appetite that was a bit more developed".

But one challenge for the top chef has been discretion when it comes to revealing the presidents' favourite dishes.

"We try to avoid disclosing their favourites," Mr Vaussion said.

"Otherwise, he's going to be served the same meal everywhere whenever he travels."

That was the case for Mr Chirac, who was presented with 'tete de veau', or calf's head, on every trip after word leaked that he loved the traditional dish served with capers and pickled gherkins.

"I only made it for him two or three times [in 12 years] because he was always served it wherever he went," Mr Vaussion said.

Source: ABC News, 1 November 2013