‘World’s best chef’ Benoit Violier found dead at Swiss home

THE ‘world’s best chef’ Benoit Violier has been found dead at his Swiss home.
Violier, 44, has taken his own life just months after his three-star restaurant Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville in the small Swiss town of Crissier was named the best in the world.

The Frenchman was due to attend the launch of the new Michelin guide in Paris.
Swiss police have now opened an investigation into his death.

Violier’s family has released a statement asking for privacy “to be allowed to mourn in peace”.

In December, Violier’s restaurant was named the best of 1000 venues across 48 countries by France’s La Listle, the French foreign ministry’s answer to the Britain-based World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

He had taken over the reins at the restaurant with his wife Brigitte in 2012 after the retirement of his mentor Philippe Rochat, who died in 2015.

Born in the French city of La Rochelle into a family of winemakers, he was also a keen hunter.

Paul Bocuse — who has been dubbed the ‘pope’ of French cuisine — described Violier on Twitter as a “great chef, great man, huge talent”.