Wife and ‘lifeforce’ of celebrity chef dies in Madison
Gloria Pépin, wife and “lifeforce” of author, television personality, and culinary instructor Jacques Pépin, died Saturday at their Madison home, according to a statement on the chef’s Facebook page. She was 83 .
Pépin “passed peacefully in her ownbed” surrounded by her husband of 54 years, daughter Claudine and son-in-law Rollie, her granddaughter Shorey, close friends Tom Hopkins and Reza Yavari, and her “beloved pup Gaston” by her side. No cause of death was listed.
“We are overcome with grief, but Gloria was a fighter: a strong, resilient, “spill-notears” woman. She would no doubt urge us to get on with living our lives and continue to do the work we were meant to do,” the statement said. “In lieu of flowers, Gloria wished condolence gifts should be made to the food insecurity or animal welfare charity of your choice.”
Her obituary detailed highlights from her life: her celebration of her Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage, a time in her 20s where she ran a studio in the music industry, and the moment where she first met her husband, when he was a ski instructor at Hunter Mountain in New York. The two married in 1966 at the homeof Craig Claiborne, longtime food editor and restaurant critic for The New York Times, where prominent chefs cooked the guests’ dinner.
The couple welcomed daughter Claudine a year later, while Jacques cooked, went to school, and wrote. They opened La Potagerie, a small soup restaurant on 5th Avenue, between 45th and 46th street, in New York City, in 1970. “Through it all, Gloria was his partner, his strength, his rock,” the statement said.
Gloria nursed Jacques back to health after a debilitating car accident in 1974, and in 1976, they bought their Madison home and worked together to completely renovate the property themselves. Later they opened Gloria’s French Café in Madison.
“At the café nothing was ever wasted. This was an ethos that Gloria and Jacques shared. She managed the front of the house with impeccable taste. Like everything in Gloria’s life, the restaurant was extraordinarily well-organized.”
Connecticut restaurateurs who have formed friendships with the Pépins over the years posted tributes to Gloria Sunday.
“Over the last 7 years, the Pépin family has become part of our family at 85th Day Food Community,” said Dan Meiser, whose restaurant group includes Mystic eateries Oyster Club, Engine Room, Grass & Bone and the new Nana’s Bakery & Pizza, in an Instagram post. “The Pepin family extends well beyond those that bear the last name. The Pepin Family is about Impact, Inclusiveness, Justice and Community. We will continue to fight alongside the Pepin Family to achieve these Ideals.”