Michelin-starred master chef, 73

PARIS — Joel Robuchon, a master chef who shook up the stuffy world of French haute cuisine by showing diners the delights of the simple mashed potato and a peek at a restaurant kitchen, has died at 73.

A spokeswoman for Robuchon, who for years held more Michelin stars than anyone else in the world, confirmed his death Monday. French media reported he died of cancer in Geneva.

Robuchon's career was one of superlatives. He was named among the best craftsmen in France in 1976, crowned cook of the century in 1990 and chosen to be one of the cooks at the “dinner of the century.”

Robuchon was known for constant innovation and playfulness in the kitchen, qualities that made him a revelation to the hidebound world of French cuisine. He built a gourmet empire that included restaurants in Paris, Tokyo, Las Vegas and New York City.

“To describe Joel Robuchon as a cook is a bit like calling Pablo Picasso a painter, Luciano Pavarotti a singer, Frederic Chopin a pianist,” cook and food writer Patricia Wells wrote in “L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon,” a book about the chef and his students. “Joel Robuchon will undoubtedly go down as the artist who most influenced the 20th-century world of cuisine.”

Many of France's greatest chefs echoed her tribute.

Prominent Michelinstarred French chef Alain Ducasse, who was seen by some as a rival to Robuchon, told The Associated Press that “French cuisine owes a tribute to a man who for more than 40 years has made it shine throughout the world.”

“Robuchon was a demanding colleague but this nature was ultimately the solid foundation of our esteem,” Ducasse, 61, added.

French chef Pierre Gagnaire, a Michelin three-star chef, wrote on his Instagram account that “the best among us is gone. All my thoughts to his family.”

Chef Marc Veyrat, whose restaurant also holds three Michelin stars, called Robuchon the “prince of French cuisine” on RTL radio, adding: “I'm not afraid to say he inspired me.”