Master Chef Michel LeBorgne, NECI’s first chef, began his NECI teaching career with just six students! A native of France, Chef Michel began his apprenticeship at the age of 14, working in several renowned European kitchens before relocating to New York in 1964, to work at the famed La Caravelle. He was Executive Chef at Yale University for twelve years, supervising the training of 45 cooks in 20 kitchens.
In 1988, Chef Michel was inducted into the Maitre Cuisiniers de France (M.C.F.), the prestigious organization of Master Chefs of France. They named him “Chef of the Year” in 1996, their highest honor. He is also a member of the Académie Culinaire de France, Les Amis d’Escoffier Society and the Société des Cuisiners de Paris.
Where did you receive your training?
I was trained classically in France at school and I was drilled the basic into my head. Chefs emphasized cooking method, knife skill and organization. My goal was always to pass on my love for this industry that I’ve been in for 54 years and I really think I’ve been successful.
What makes for success in this industry?
To be successful you have to be married to this business. It is not TV. It requires a lot of sacrifice. You have to be present in your establishment as much as possible.
What advice would you give today’s students?
I’d like to recommend to the students a recipe for a successful life.
- ¼ oz education
- ¼ oz. hard work
- ¼ oz. attitude
- ¼ oz modesty
- 3 ounces patience.
Shake it well and add the zest of luck for a very successful time. One day when you have a bad day, you read this and I guarantee you it is a recipe for success.
Would you share your worst day in the kitchen?
One of the worst days in my life was in Paris. The first day I worked in Le Carton, and I had a task to do a soup, and I was dicing my vegetables. They had to be perfect. Chef walked by, put his hand in the container, rolled them like dice on the table and they were not to his liking. All day long he came up to me, he wouldn’t stop. All day, all day, he said, “You should try plumbing. You’ll never make it in this business.”
He didn’t discriminate. He was a miserable person but that’s the way he was trained, to yell and scream at people. I never scream. I never treat students like I was treated. I’m stubborn and I said to myself, “If you think you’re going to break me, it’s not going to happen.”
Was there any value to the yelling?
Well, thanks to this bastard, when you are trained constantly, you know you are going to catch hell. But it becomes routine. It becomes your nature never to let your guard down, to try your best every second.
What was your best day?
I used to run Tubbs next door. I was teaching second year and we got busy and there was a reporter from Toronto and she was writing an article, and it happened to be my lucky day. I had a student expediting. I get goose bumps just thinking about it. It was like conducting the Boston Symphony. You demand perfection but you’re not usually going to get perfection.
What are you doing now?
I retired but retirement lasted for two weeks. I work from home. I write the menu. I mostly work with the alumni. We try to reconnect them. Our alumni are our best source of recruiting.
Do they stay in touch with you?
Oh yes. Some call me for jobs, some invite me to weddings. At Christmas, I get so many cards.
What is your favorite thing to eat?
My favorite dish is roasted chicken but it’s got to be Poulet de Bresse: Milk fed, free range, with lots of onions, lemons and black olives placed around it. Roast it at 425 degrees until done. Baste it and finish it with fleur de sel.
Cooking is very simple. If you have good ingredients, buy the very best, store them properly, cook them properly, serve them rapidly and with a smile, you will be successful.
Recipe for Success: An interview with Chef Michel LeBorgne « Great Chefs said
[...] for Success: An interview with Chef Michel LeBorgne Syndicated from Recipe for Success: An interview with Chef Michel LeBorgne.Chef Michel LeBorgne Master Chef Michel LeBorgne, NECI’s first chef, began his NECI teaching [...]