2017 Heralds 40 Years of 3 Michelin Stars for Legendary Chef Michel Guérard, at Les Prés d'Eugénie

2017 marks the 40th Anniversary of three Michelin Stars for the legendary chef and pioneer of healthy cuisine, Michel Guérard at Les Prés d'Eugénie in South-West France. To celebrate this achievement a special 40th Michelin Celebration Package has been created. 

Michel Guérard started his career after the Second World War as an apprentice pastry chef. In 1958, aged just 25, whilst working as the head Pastry Chef at Hotel de Crillon, Paris, he was awarded the coveted title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France. Guérard then strengthened his position amidst culinary scene during his time cooking for some of the most reputable establishments in Paris. In 1965, the opening of his own restaurant Le Pot-Au-Feu marked the start of his foray into the world of Michelin Star success, being awarded his first Michelin Star in 1967, and the second in 1971, consecrating Le Pot-Au-Feu as the place to be on the Parisian gastronomic scene.

In the early 70's Michel Guérard, alongside chefs Paul Bocuse, Roger Verge, Troisgros brothers and Alain Chapel, championed the movement of French Cuisine and today are considered to be the founding fathers of “Nouvelle Cuisine.”  However, it was Guérard's passion for produce, the art of healthy and gourmet living, and even more so, the love for his wife Christine Barthelemy, which led him to Les Prés d'Eugénie, Eugénie-les-Bains.

In 1974, Eugénie-les-Bains was a charming spa village in the Landes region, visited by guests suffering from diabetes and overweight. Michel set about developing a revolutionary new method of eating to support the spa and to attract the Parisian clientele seeking healthier cuisine in a rural setting. Therefore, in 1975 Grande Cuisine Minceur® (Great slimming cuisine) was born and Eugénie-les-Bains became France's Number One Slimming Village.

Michel Guérard's success in creating a new school of culinary understanding came at the same time as his success at Les Prés d'Eugénie with his gourmet cuisine which received the accolade of a Michelin Star in 1974, followed by a second one just a year later, and the third star in 1977. Under the guidance of the culinary master Guérard, Les Prés d'Eugénie has seen numerous exceptional chefs pass through its doors, including Sébastien Bras, Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Andrew Fairlie and Gérald Passedat, all seeking to experience the talent and passion that Guérard embodies.

Michel is now a key figure in educating and changing perceptions of healthy cuisine. His school The Institute Michel Guérard® teaches a rounded culinary education that includes pastry, practical culinary skills and theory, all taught by industry professional, including doctors and dieticians. It was Michel Guérard's passion for healthy cuisine that led him to work with the Nestlé Group and their research department to explore the science behind food and people's relationships with it, resulting in the Findus-Guérard food range and, a little later, the Findus Cuisine Légère range. In 2009, motivated by Guérard's work, The Ministry of Health and a steering committee of experts chaired by Guérard himself complied a White Paper on 'Cooking, Health and Pleasure.' At its heart, the paper explores Guérard's fundamental belief that traditional cooking needs to be at the core of healthy eating and that it is crucial for taste and enjoyment to prevail over for dietary habits changes to succeed.

To celebrate the 40th Anniversary, the Guérard family are inviting guests to join the celebrations with a '40th Celebration Package' at Les Pres d'Eugenie. During their stay, guests will find themselves immersed in the world of French Cuisine and transported on a journey through gastronomic history, following in the footsteps of chef Michel Guérard as he transformed the picturesque stone village of Les Prés d'Eugénie into a culinary haven.

During a two-night stay, including gourmet breakfasts in the luxurious hotel, guests will receive a VIP welcome of homemade garden madeleines and a bottle of Guérard Wine, as well as two incredible dinners. A celebration dinner in the 3 Michelin Star restaurant includes Truffle Cloud, Smoked Lobster and Roast Duck. A Landais Terroir Dinner in the Historic Inn La Ferme aux Grives features delicious creations of rustic seasonal produces.

Rates for the '40th Michelin Celebration Package' start at 1,395 € for 2 guests and includes: 

VIP Welcome with homemade garden madeleines and a bottle of Guérards' Wine

2 Nights at Eugénie

Gourmet Breakfasts

1 Celebration 3 Michelin Star Dinner (Palais Enchanté menu , drinks not included)

1 Landais Terroir Dinner in the Historic Inn La Ferme aux Grives (drinks not included)

A book with Best Of legendary recipes of Michel Guérard, autographed by the Chef

Chef Wise website .