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MANILA, Philippines - Who is the renowned French chef who is considered one of the fathers of Nouvelle Cuisine and the founder of the Cuisine Minceur?

He was born on March 27, 1933 in Vetheuil, in Val-d’Oise, and says that he was inspired to pursue a culinary career when he watched his grandmother prepare and bake a pastry dish.

His interest sparked, he went on to become an apprentice in Mante La Jolie’s Kleber Alix patisserie.  It was there that he furthered his knowledge on pastry making as well as traditional French cuisine.

After working in a variety of top restaurants in Paris, he worked as the Hotel de Crillon’s pastry chef, and was awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France Patisserie in 1958.

In 1965, he established his own Paris -based restaurant and named it Le Pot au Feu for which he earned his first Michelin star in 1967.  The restaurant was awarded its second Michelin Star in 1971 and went on to become a huge success until the time it was later acquired for road widening purposes.

Today he and his wife Christine currently own three restaurants in Eugenie les Bains. One of these, Les Pres d’Eugenie, which serves cuisine gourmand, has received three stars in the Michelin Guide since 1977.

He is considered as one of the fathers of Nouvelle Cuisine, a new approach to traditional French cooking that is characterized by the lightness of the dishes as it does away with heavy sauces and complicated cooking techniques.

He is also the founder of Cuisine Minceur, which is somewhat familiar to Nouvelle Cuisine, but focuses on healthy cooking created to attract health-conscious food lovers.

He has written numerous cookbooks, the most popular of which are Cuisine Minceur, which focuses on healthy Cuisine Minceur recipes; and Cuisine Gourmand, a collection of well-selected recipes for exquisite cooking.

For his work, he has received numerous awards, the most notable including the Chevalier of the Legion d’honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Chevalier of  Ordre National du Merite, and Chevalier of the Ordre du Merite agricole.

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Last week’s question: Who was the British eclectic architect of the Georgian period known for Palladian style structures like the Somerset House and Kew Gardens?

Answer: William Chambers

Winner: Ryan Niko Publico of Sta. Mesa, Manila

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