Antoine Westermann

Antoine Westermann (4 April 1946, Alsace, France) is a French chef^[1] born in 1949 in the Alsatian town of Wissembourg, on the northeast border of France.

Antoine Westermann
Chef Antoine Westermann
Born	(1946-04-04) 4 April 1946 (age 78) Alsace, France
Education	Culinary school in Strasbourg, France
Culinary career
Cooking style	French cuisine
Rating(s) Michelin stars
Current restaurant(s) Le Coq Rico, New York City Drouant by Antoine Westermann, Paris Mon Vieil Ami, Paris Le Coq Rico, Paris La Dégustation, Paris
Award(s) won • 1994 : Three stars Michelin Guide 19/20 au Gault et Millau • 1983 : 2 stars Michelin Guide • 1975 : 1-star Michelin Guide
Website	[27]

He held 3 Michelin Guide stars for his Strasbourg restaurant Le Buerehiesel and maintained a star rating at the restaurant for over 31 years until 2007, when he asked the Michelin Guide to remove them.

Biography

Early life

Antoine Westermann decided to become a chef at age 8, encouraged by his father.^[2] He studied at L'Ecole Hôteliere in Strasbourg while apprenticing at the nearby Buffet de la Gare.

In 1969, after Westermann earned his professional diploma, his father took out a mortgage on their home to purchase a farmhouse in the middle of Strasbourg's Parc de l'Orangerie for Westermann, then at 23, turned it into a restaurant. That spot became Le Buerehiesel, the Alsatian dialect meaning for "little farmhouse".^[3]

1969–2007: Le Buerehiesel

Westermann remained head chef and proprietor of Le Buerehiesel for 38 years. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 1975, followed by a second star in 1983.

1994

In 1994, 25 years after its opening, Le Buerehiesel was awarded both a 3-star Michelin ranking and a 19/20 rating in the "Gault & Millau Guide"^[4] while Westermann was named one of France's top chefs along with Joël Robuchon, Michel Bras, Guy Savoy and Alain Ducasse.^[5]

1998–2006: Other Endeavors

From 1998 to 2006 Westermann worked at Fortaleza do Guincho in Cascais, Portugal, alongside executive chef Vincent Farges.^[6] The restaurant has retained one Michelin star since 2001.^[7][8]

2007

In 2007, Westermann gave up his 3 stars to turn to new culinary adventures.^[9] His son, Eric Westermann took over Le Buerehiesel and won 1 Michelin star in 2008.^[10]

2003–2017: Mon Vieil Ami

In homage to his mother's cuisine, Westermann opened the vegetable-centric bistro Mon Vieil Ami (meaning "My Old Friend") in 2003.^[11] The restaurant became the first table d'hôte in Paris, an otherwise traditional Alsatian format that ran until its closing in 2017.^[12]

2006–2018: Drouant

In 2006, Westermann worked at Drouant, where the Goncourt and Renaudot prizes have taken place since 1914.^[13] Westermann sold Drouant to restaurateurs Gardinier & Fils in 2018.^[14]

2012: Le Coq Rico

Westermann hopes to expand the market for ethically labeled meat production throughout France and the United States.^[15]

He created the brand and the first concept of a mono-maniac bistro around poultry, Le Coq Rico, in Paris.^[16] The restaurant is recognized as the best roasted chicken in Paris by several food critics.^[17][18]

In September 2021, Le Coq Rico became Le Coq & Fils – The Poultry House

2016–2018

He later developed his savoir-faire in New York and branded Le Coq Rico in financial association with Francis Staub.^[19][20] It received 2 stars from The New York Times^[21] and Best Roasted Poultry from NYC.^[22]

In August 2018, he was fired from office by his partner.^[23][24] He works with farmers on the development of old breeds, such as the red turkey of the Ardennes,^[25] the Landes poultry, the poultry of Contre, the Naked Neck of Forez, La Flèche.^[26][27]

He conducts the "Le tour de France des belles volailles" – a monthly event with an old breed in addition to the menu.^[28] He is the ambassador of the Live Stock Conservancy, an organization that manages the reintroduction and enhancement of ancient American breeds.^[29][30]

Restaurants

France

 

Drouant by Antoine Westermann in Paris - France

• 1969–2007: Le Buerehiesel – 3 stars Michelin Guide in Strasbourg^[31]
• 2003–2016: Mon Vieil Ami in Paris^[32]
• 2006–2018: Drouant by Antoine Westermann in Paris^[33]
• 2012 – Today: Le Coq & Fils, The Poultry House – formerly Le Coq Rico^[34]
• 2013–2017: La Dégustation in Paris – an ode to the art of French appetizing in the Montmartre neighbourhood of Paris.^[35]

United States

 

Le Coq Rico in Paris (Montmartre)

• 2002–2005: Restaurant Café 15 at the Sofitel Lafayette Square Hotel in Washington, D.C.^[36]
• 2006–2013: Le Café du Parc – Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.^[37]
• 2016–2018: Le Coq Rico – New York

Portugal

• 1999–2016: Fortaleza do Guincho in Cascais^[38]
• 2007–2012: Uva Restaurant at The Vine Hotel in Funchal^[39]

Cooking style

Westermann's cooking style focuses on reinventing traditional Alsatian recipes to create signature dishes such as "Beer Brioche", "Oyster Soup", and "Pâté en Croûte." Outside of Alsace, Westermann's style is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean cuisine of South-Eastern France. Westermann is a proponent of the ethical sourcing of meat.^[40]

The menu at Le Coq Rico has multiple breeds of chicken, rooster, guinea fowl, and duck.^[27]

Chef Westermann claims to want to reintroduce ancient poultry breeds and cook poultry in French, European, and American regions.^[41]

Recipes

• Young Hen in a Baeckeoffe
• Recipe of Young Fatted Hen Terrine with Fennel & Foie Gras^[42]
• Recipe of Frog's Legs with Schniederspaetle^[43]
• Daube of Warm Vegetables with a Salad of White Haricots with Aged Vinegar^[44]
• Beer Brioche

Books

• Le Coq Rico, La Cuisine des Belles Volailles by Antoine Westermann,^[45] photos by Marie-Pierre Morel, illustrations by Shane & Christophe Meyer - Editions Marabout, 2013 ISBN 978-2-501-08204-4
• La Cuisine de Monsieur Momo^[46] by Maurice Joyant and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, recipes of Antoine Westermann - Editions Menu Fretin, 2011 ISBN 978-2-9170-0833-1
• Cuisine-moi des Étoiles by Jean Orizet and Antoine Westermann^[47] - Editions Le Cherche midi, 2009 ISBN 978-2-7491-1070-7
• La Cuisine Ménagère d'un Grand Chef^[48] by Antoine Westermann - Editions Minerva, 1999 ISBN 2830705394
• L'Alsace des Saveurs Retrouvées^[49] by Antoine Westermann - Editions Albin Michel, 1998 ISBN 2-226-08792-3

Chefs books

Burger de Chefs^[50] by Thérèse Rocher photos by Delphine Amar-Constantini - Éditions Larousse pages 192 to 194: Poultry Burger and Strass'Burger, 2014 ISBN 978-2-03-590461-4

• Le Nouvel Art Culinaire Français^[51] - Editions Flammarion, 2012 ISBN 978-2-08-127251-4
• Les 100 Mots de la Gastronomie^[52] by Alain Bauer & Laurent Plantier - Editions Que sais-je?, 2010 ISBN 978-2-13-058504-6
• Trois Étoiles au Michelin: Une Histoire de la Haute Gastronomie Française et Européenne^[53] by Jean-François Mesplède, preface by Alain Ducasse - Editions Gründ, 2004 ISBN 2700024680
• La Haute Cuisine Française, les Recettes Emblématiques des Grands Chefs du Monde^[54] by Nicolas de Rabaudy, preface by Antoine Westermann, illustrations of Sandrine Courau and Reno Marca - Editions Minerva, 2001 ISBN 2830705408

References

1. [1] Post of Richard Nahem on "I prefer Paris!" : "Parisian of the Month: Antoine Westermann" 2013 March 27
2. [2] Post of Judy MacMahon on "My French life"
3. [3] Post by Judy MacMahon on My French life.org (September 23, 2013)
4. [4] Post in World Goumets Summit : Master Chefs
5. Liste des restaurants deux et trois étoiles du Guide Michelin|la troisième étoile au guide Michelin
6. [5] 2015-05-02 at the Wayback Machine Post on "Relais & Châteaux"
7. [6] Post in Portugal Live
8. "Sintra/Cascais: Westermann sur un air de Guincho". 24 December 2012.
9. [7] by Ezéchiel Zérah in Atabula (2017/09): "Ces chefs qui ont « rendu » leurs étoiles Michelin"
10. [8] by Gilles Pudlowski (2010/07): " Connaissez vous Eric? "
11. [9] Post on the New York Times by Scott Sayare and David W. Chen (November 18, 2009)
12. [10] Gourmets&Co
13. "MERCREDI – la Bouchée à la Reine de Drouant". 23 March 2015.
14. "Antoine Westermann revient sur la vente du restaurant Drouant à la famille Gardinier". 14 March 2018.
15. [Le Coq Rico Captures Essence of a Parisian Poultry Palace] By Florence Fabricant in the NYTIMES (March 8, 2016): "Le Coq Rico Captures Essence of a Parisian Poultry Palace"
16. Emmanuel, Rubin (2012-12-18). "Les vingt meilleures tables de 2012 à Paris". Le Figaro. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
17. Emmanuel, Robin (2018-11-14). "Les meilleurs poulets rôtis de Paris". Le Figaro. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
18. François-Régis, Gaudry (2018-10-21). "Un poulet rôti? Notre top 5 à Paris". LExpress.fr (in French). Retrieved 2019-02-01.
19. Christina, Izzo (7 June 2016). "Le Coq Rico | Restaurants in Flatiron, New York". Time Out New York. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
20. Fabricant, Florence (2015-09-08). "Restaurant Debuts That Stand Out Above the Rest". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
21. Wells, Pete (2016-06-14). "Poultry Has a Pedigree at Le Coq Rico". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
22. "Best Roast Chicken NYC". The New Potato. 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
23. "La destinée du coq Rico n'est plus entre les mains d'Antoine Westermann". Food & Sens (in French). 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
24. "Antoine Westermann, à propos de son éviction du Coq Rico à New York: " J'ai été trahi par Francis Staub "". Atabula (in French). 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
25. Lung, Wai-Ming (November 2018). "Thanksgiving au Coq Rico". orgyness.com (in French). Retrieved 2019-02-01.
26. Vanessa, Zocchetti (5 October 2018). "Tendance : le poulet donne des ailes aux chefs". Le Parsien.
27. Wells, Pete (June 15, 2016). "Poultry Has a Pedigree". The New York Times. p. D5. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
28. Manon, C. "Le Tour de France des belles volailles au Coq Rico - Sortiraparis.com". www.sortiraparis.com (in French). Retrieved 2019-02-01.
29. "The Livestock Conservancy". livestockconservancy.org. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
30. [11] Esquire by Jay Cheshes (Jun 8, 2016) : "A Perfect Roast Chicken Made Impossibly Easy : French chef Antoine Westermann introduces the U.S. to the complex art of cooking a simple chicken."
31. [12] Post by Gilles Pudlowski, food critic
32. [13] Post on Best restaurant Paris
33. [14] 2015-05-18 at the Wayback Machine Post on "Châteaux & Hôtels Collection"
34. "Le Coq Rico, bistrôtisserie chic d'Antoine Westermann" by François-Régis Gaudry, culinary critic, L'Express 10/07/2013
35. [15] Post on Altitude Community - Air Canada : "Best champagne bars in Paris"
36. [16] 2015-04-18 at the Wayback Machine Article sur le site américain Food Arts
37. [17] Article on the Washingtonian website
38. [18] 2015-05-02 at the Wayback Machine Post on the "Relais & Châteaux" website
39. [19] Post on "Portugal Live" website
40. Moskin, Julia (2016-07-26). "A French Chef Is Making Sure Leftovers Don't Get Left Behind". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
41. [20] FoodAndSens.com - 2018/03/21
42. [21] On the website of Coeur Gourmand
43. [22] On the blog of Julien Binz,culynary critic
44. [Daube of Warm Vegetables with a Salad of White Haricots with Aged Vinegar] Post in Food Arts
45. "Le Coq Rico : la cuisine des belles volailles". franceculture.fr. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
46. [23] Post in Le Monde by Jean-Claude Ribaut 28/09/2011
47. [24] Post by Julien Binz, culinary critic
48. "La cuisine ménagère d'un grand chef". Fnac.com. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
49. [25] Post on "Miam Miam"
50. AuteurThérèse Rocher. . Editions Larousse. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
51. "Le Nouvel Art Culinaire Français". librairiegourmande.fr. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
52. [26] 2015-04-15 at the Wayback Machine Extrait du livre : "Je suis un réductionniste !"
53. Auteur : Mesplède Jean-François. Trois étoiles au Michelin : une histoire de la haute gastronomie française et européenne - Mesplède Jean-François - Librairie Mollat Bordeaux. Retrieved 8 June 2015. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
54. "Rechercher - haute cuisine francais..." livre-rare-book.com. Retrieved 8 June 2015.

External links

• Official website
• Official Twitter
• Official Facebook Le Coq Rico
• The French Wikipedia of Antoine Westermann