Bruno Loubet
Demo: Sunday 3 September, 12pm
French chef Bruno Loubet is well-known for giving vegetables equal billing on the menu at his Grain Store restaurant, London. Motivated in large part by ethics, the chef promotes a sustainable approach to menu planning that has minimal impact on the environment.
Bruno was born in Bordeaux, southwest France, in 1961. He attended the Lycée Hotelier de Talence, which led to his first job as a Commis Chef at the Hyatt Regency in Brussels. After commencing National Service as Head Chef for the Admiral’s table, he earned the rank of Second Maitre. Moving to London in 1982, he embarked on a Commis Chef role at La Tante Claire with Pierre Koffmann, and then on to Gastronome One, in the New Kings Road, as Head Chef where he was awarded the 1985 Good Food Guide’s Young Chef of the Year.
Bruno then joined Raymond Blanc in Oxford as Head Chef at the two Michelin-starred Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, and moved to Le Petit Blanc, in Oxford, as Chef/Manager. He returned to London as Head Chef at the Four Seasons, Inn on the Park, where he earned a Michelin star within a year. In 1992 Bruno opened Bistrot Bruno in Soho, which earned The Times Restaurant of the Year in 1993. Following the success of Bistrot Bruno, he opened L’Odeon in 1995, which was awarded The Times ‘Restaurant of the Year’ in the following year.
In 1998, Bruno joined Gruppo as Development Chef, where he was responsible for maintaining the standards for The Atlantic Bar and Grill, Mash (London and Manchester), Coast, The Admiralty and setting up Isola.
He then decided on a lifestyle change, and moved his family to Brisbane, Australia, where he opened Bruno’s Tables, which earned two Gourmet Traveller stars in 2005, Good Life Chef of the Year 2004, and Restaurant and Catering Best Chef-Owned Restaurant in 2003.
In 2010 Bruno opened Bistrot Bruno Loubet at The Zetter Hotel in Clerkenwell with his partners. In October 2010, Bistrot Bruno Loubet won the award for highest new entry at number three in the UK, at the National Restaurant Awards. With the same partners, he opened Grain Store in Kings Cross in 2013. The restaurant won ‘Sustainable Restaurant of the Year’ in 2013 and 2015.
An accomplished author, Bruno’s cookbooks include ‘Cuisine Courante’, ‘Bistrot Bruno’ and ‘Mange Tout’. Bruno has appeared on TV many times including his own 13-part series, ‘Chez Bruno’ as well as stints on BBC’s Hot Chefs, Junior MasterChef and Australia’s The Great South East. He has also appeared on Saturday Kitchen and MasterChef UK as a mentor.
(Photo credit: Steven Joyce)
