Paul Bocuse

Scion of a long line of restaurateurs, Bocuse apprenticed under several prominent chefs before taking over the family’s failing hotel-restaurant in Collonges, near Lyon, in 1959. Before long he had attracted much attention with his innovative nouvelle cuisine, a style of cooking that emphasized lightly cooked vegetables, sparing use of dressings and sauces made from materials low in fats, and artfully simple presentation. Bocuse’s abandonment of many conventions of traditional grande cuisine won many followers among younger chefs. --Brittanica.com