Georges Perrier

Georges Perrier (born 1943) is a French chef who emigrated in the United States in 1967 and lived in Philadelphia, where he founded and ran Le Bec-Fin and other restaurants, bars and cafés across the country.^[1]

Early life[]

At age 12, Perrier created his first entrée, "Sweetbreads with Mushrooms and Madeira", and after this experience, he decided on his career which he began two years later at age 14. He trained with chefs at various restaurants of France, including Michel Lorrain of Casino de Charbonnières near Lyon, Jacques Picard of L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence, and Guy Thivard in Vienne, owned by Ferdinand Point.^[2]

Le Bec-Fin[]

Perrier immigrated in the United States of America in November 1967. In 1970, he opened Le Bec-Fin, a French seafood-specialised restaurant. Originally on 1312 Spruce St., it moved to Walnut Street in 1983. Le Bec-Fin was awarded as one of the best restaurant in the United States.^[3] After 43 years, the restaurant closed on June 15, 2013.^[4]

Brasserie Perrier[]

Opened in 1997 on Walnut Street, Philadelphia, the Brasserie Perrier was Georges' second restaurant, Brasserie Perrier. A casual brasserie, it closed in 2009 due to a rent increase. It was a casual and contemporary sibling to his haute-cuisine jewel, Le Bec-Fin. Upon closure, it had 120 employees.^[5]

Bistro Perriers[]

Chef Georges Perrier became master-in-residence at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in 2017, and he began his role at "Le Bec-Fin Redux," a one-night-only reprisal of his menu in the restaurant that would later become Bistro Perrier.

Georges Perrier helped guide the careers student chefs at Walnut Hill College. He taught, host special dinners, and led workshops for professional chefs on the WHC campus.^[6]

Television & Cinema[]

• In 1994 TV Show – "Great Chefs of the East series and their Great Chefs" – Great Cities television series – Discovery Channel
• In 2001 TV Documentary – "Strip Tease: Les Caprices du Chef" by Anne-Marie Avouac 34:43^[7]
• In 2004 June 20: TV Documentary – "Strip-tease: America America 1 : Amour, gloire et santé" by Anne-Marie Avouac 56:53^{[citation needed]}
• In 2004 June 27: TV Documentary – "Strip Tease: America America 2 : Un monde presque parfait" by Anne-Marie Avouac 59:34^{[citation needed]}
• In 2004 July 4: TV Documentary – "Strip Tease: America America 3 : Mon frère s’appelle Raymond" by Anne-Marie Avouac 56:15^{[citation needed]}
• In 2004 July 11: TV Documentary – "Strip Tease: America America 4 : Le mariage de Cendrillon" by Anne-Marie Avouac 56:58^{[citation needed]}
• In 2012 July 16: TV Documentary – "Strip Tease: America America 5 : La princesse aux pieds nus" 50:00^{[citation needed]}
• In 2012 July 23: TV Documentary – "Strip Tease: America America 6 : Et Dieu dans tout ça ?" 50:00^{[citation needed]}
• In 2015 "King Georges", movie which premiered in April. By Erika Frankel^[8]

Achievements[]

• In 1981, at the age of 38, Chef Perrier was admitted to the Maitres Cuisiniers de France.^[9]
• In 1983, Georges Perrier moved to what will be the 5 stars award winning Le Bec-Fin restaurant on Walnut Street.
• In 1994, readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine chose Le Bec-Fin as the No. 1 restaurant in the United States of America.^[10]
• In 1997, Chef Perrier's first book, Georges Perrier Le Bec-Fin Recipes, was published and contains more than 100 recipes.^[11]
• In 1998, Chef Perrier was honored by America's leading culinary organization when he was awarded Best Mid-Atlantic Chef by the James Beard Foundation.^[12]
• In 2009, the French government awarded Perrier in January the Legion d'Honneur.^[13]
• In 2010, Chef Perrier received the Academiciens de l’Annee, the high honor presented by the Academie Culinaire de France.^[14]
• In 2012, he received the "Medaille de la ville de Roanne" from the town Mayor Ms. Laure Deroche.^[15]

Further reading[]

• George Perrier and Aliza Green. Georges Perrier Le Bec-Fin Recipes. Running Press: Philadelphia (1997). ISBN 0762401702

References[]