Alain Senderens

Outspoken chef who rejected Michelin stars

French chef Alain Senderens, who rejected his Michelin stars and was acclaimed as a visionary, rebel and a force in the development of nouvelle cuisine, has died. He was 77.

Senderens was regarded by his peers as a visionary and a cerebral chef who helped open the way to new approaches to gastronomy. He was among the chefs who pushed forward the lighter nouvelle cuisine that captures the flavours of regional products. And he pared down in other areas, too, including prices. In 2005, he transformed the Parisian temple of gastronomy Lucas Carton, which he took over in 1985.

Senderens was fed up with the rigours of the star system and the competition in the kitchen and the inaccessible prices for his creations. Asian-inspired dishes that he was known for, such as pigeon with crab and vermicelli, and Javanese lamb curry with citronella and mango. His signature dish was Canard Apicius, a duck dish based on a recipe from Roman times.

Born 2 December, 1939, in Hyeres, on the Cote d’azur, Senderens went to Paris in 1962, working in top restaurants, including Lucas Carton – which he took over three decades later – honing his skills in various roles in the kitchen brigade.