Gilles Epié


Gilles Epié is a leading French chef, also known as the original Rock Star Chef. He was the youngest chef to receive the Michelin Star when he was 22 years old. He was the owner and Executive Chef of Citrus Etoile restaurant in Paris near the Champs-Elysées with his wife, Elizabeth Epié from 2005–2017. Currently, he is the Culinary Director of Montage Beverly Hills and the restaurant was named Gilles @ Montage Beverly Hills in 2019.

Career

Gilles Epié started working at the age of 14 and trained with Alain Senderens and Alain Ducasse at Lucas-Carton in Paris; After he traveled the world and studied global cuisine he returned to Paris. He received his first Michelin Star in 1980 at Le Pavillon des Princes, the youngest chef to receive the award at age 22.
He worked as a chef at several notable French restaurants, including La Vieille Fontaine near Paris where he received a Michelin Star in 1983, his restaurant Le Miravile, where he was honored with a Michelin Star in 1986, and La Petite Cour in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, Paris. In 1995 he left France to explore U.S. cuisine, speaking very little English. He worked as the Head Chef of the iconic French restaurant L’Orangerie, Los Angeles where he introduced a Provençal-inspired style of cooking. Within a year he was voted Best Chef In America of 1996 by Food & Wine Magazine. He took the restaurant from empty tables to being booked months in advance, and brought the establishment from a three-star to a five-star restaurant within six months.
Next, he bought and operated the Beverly Hills restaurant Chez Gilles on Beverly Drive along with partner Jean Denoyer.
Having mastered the culinary fusion of French/ California dishes, his clients have included actors, supermodels and politicians across the world. He has prepared dinners for President George Bush, President Bill Clinton, President Ronald Reagan, President Gerald Ford, and President Donald Trump. He has also cooked for French Presidents Francois Mitterand, Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy, Francois Holland and Emmanuel Macron, as well as the King of Sweden, Sheikh of Qatar, Frank Sinatra, Kirk Douglas, Bruce Springsteen, Slash, Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, Chris Tucker, Mick Jagger, Sharon Stone, Michel Polnareff, Gregory Peck, Richard Gere, Pierce Brosnan, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana, Joan Severance, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Michael Jordan and many more.
After 10 years in the United States, Epié decided to return to Paris after his dream restaurant location opened up near the Champs-Elysées. He opened Citrus Etoile restaurant in 2005 along with his wife, former model/actress, Elizabeth Nottoli. He named the restaurant in honor of his friend Chef Michel Richard and his Los Angeles restaurant, Citrus. To celebrate its launch, the French news magazine Paris Match featured Gilles and his wife Elizabeth in a glossy spread, having a black-tie picnic on the wing of an American Airlines Boeing jet. Citrus Etoile was selected as a member of the prestigious Châteaux & Hotels Collection - Tables remarquables. The New York Times listed Citrus Etoile as a "must visit" new restaurant in Paris in 2006, stating "Chef Epie is a true culinary contortionist." In 2006, Condé Nast Traveller named Citrus Etoile as one of the Top 100 Hot Restaurants in the world. Citrus Etoile was also featured in Alain Ducasse's book, J’Aime Paris. After 13 successful years, Chef Epié sold Citrus Etoile and decided to return to America, a country he has always loved.
Chef Epié was the French food correspondent for the BBC from 2010–2016. In February 2012, he traveled with 4 other Michelin star chefs on the MSC Splendida's Celebrity Chef cruises. In 2012, he was invited to participate in the 25th anniversary celebration of Alain Ducasse's Louis XV restaurant held in Monte Carlo. Chef Epié was also featured with a small group of top chefs in the cookbook "La Truffe" from the Maison de la Truffe restaurant to celebrate its 80th anniversary with 80 truffle recipes in 2012.
In April 2013, Gilles Epié opened Frenchy's, a Parisian style brasserie in the Charles de Gaulle Airport's International Terminal 2.
In 2014, Chef Epié participated as a Guest Chef at a charity event for Michelle Obama in Puerto Rico.
In March 2015, Chef Epié was invited as a Guest Chef in New York for an event hosted by the Chefs Club - Food & Wine Magazine.
In 2015, he was the Guest Chef at La Clef des Champs restaurant in Mauritius for a French Gastronomic Week event.
In November 2016, Chef Epié teamed up with Chef Juan Jose Cuevas for the Guest Chef Dinner Series at the Vanderbilt Hotel, a culinary event that took place in Puerto Rico. They presented a collaborative seven-course gastronomic menu. In 2016, Chef Epié was featured at the James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour Dinner in Santa Barbara and also received FestForum's Lifetime Achievement award.
In 2017, along with other celebrity chefs, Epié cooked at the second edition of the Cuisine of the Sun culinary festival, at Villa La Estancia Beach Resort & Spa in Mexico. He also prepared a gastronomic dinner at the IBEROSTAR Grand Paraíso Hotel in Cancun.
After deciding to return to the U.S., he sold Citrus Etoile in 2017. Gilles Epié became the Corporate Executive Chef at Juvia, Miami Beach in 2018. He participated in the James Beard Foundation's "Beach Chic" charity event in New York City in 2018.
In Feb. 2019, Epié was invited as a Guest Chef at The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival.
In 2019, he became the Culinary Director/ Executive Chef of the exclusive Montage Beverly Hills Hotel, the restaurant was renamed Gilles @ Montage Hotel.

Style of Cooking

Epié creates modern French dishes with American and international accents. California influenced Epié's style of cooking and he is praised by weight-conscious food lovers. He also added Asian and Peruvian dishes to his culinary palette. He is known for creating dishes with rich bold tastes. His inventive, delicious and healthy cuisine is constantly evolving.
He explains that the secret to a great dish is always using the finest locally sourced seasonal products.

Television

On television, Gilles Epié and his wife Elizabeth starred in two seasons of his reality documentary show in France for Canal+/Cuisine+, Dans La Vraie Vie D’un Grand Chef that featured his restaurant Citrus Etoile.
He also starred in 20 episodes of “Un Frenchy en cuisine” which aired on Cuisine+ in 2015.
Gilles Epié has made numerous television appearances, including: NBC News Miami, KTLA Channel 5 - California Cooking with Jessica Holmes, KTLA Channel 5 .

Awards