Paul Bocuse et moi

RIP Paul Bocuse - the most generous, kind and fabulous man I ever met. I am reposting today from June, 2007. Enjoy.
Today I found an old menu dated June 29, 1994 from the M.O.F. luncheon Paul Bocuse gave 13 years ago in Lyon. I was a volunteer photographer at The James Beard Foundation for 7 years.

For an exhibit of chef portraits, I painted a chef's jacket to wear to the opening. Bragard, top French chef jacket makers, contacted me. They asked if I could paint a 'portrait' jacket for Paul Bocuse to wear to the big Chicago Food show(for free of course). I wrote M.Bocuse requesting some photos. Instead I got back photos + an invitation to his Meilleur Ouvriers De France celebration luncheon in Lyon.
Mon dieu! The M.O.F. is the highest award in France for a craftsman. No way I could miss this soiree.

 Off I went with Bocuse's painted jacket, a portrait painting, and 4 painted jackets to wear at the luncheon in my suitcase 🧳 I had nothing elegant to wear so I changed my painted chef jackets 4 times.

Bocuse is a clever man. Every guest got their own M.O.F. Tri-color ribbon napkin ring. By the end of the luncheon every guest was wearing the MOF ribbon, singing French songs and waving their arms in the air. Too funny 🥂🎉

The menu was superb bien sur. No one in the world gives a party the way the French do.

Every French foodie person of note was at this MOF event. I'm sitting beside chef Jacques Maximin, former chef of Hotel Negresco 

Attending the lunch was wine maker, Georges DuBoeuf, Lyon’s best fromager, Marie-Anne Cantin, les Bernachon chocolatiers, best butter maker etc. Siro Maccioni of Le Cirque and I were the only American invitees. 
I was on assignment for FOOD ARTS Magazine I took a group shots of all the top chefs.
 Bocuse was instrumental in getting me a new career at Mumm Champagne. He was their USA spokesperson, yet he spoke not one word of English. Still his charm was contagious.

Mumm asked me to develope a promotional portrait program. I painted stacks of Mumm labels that they then attached to jeroboam Champagne 🍾  bottles as gifts to their restranteurs.
After two days of partying in Lyon, I had to return to Paris. Bocuse, always the gracious host, asked his secretary to make me a reservation on the TGV. But I arrived late and jumped on the train sans billet/ticket. When the conductor came by, I fibbed and said I'd been caught in traffic, but Chef Bocuse made the reservation. He paused, thought a moment 🤔 and then said OK and walked on. Only in France can you drop the name of a great chef and get a free ride from Lyon to Paris on the TGV!
Bonne 13th Anniversaire of your M.O.F. award,
Paul Bocuse et grand merci! 

Below Bocuse’s Christmas card