ABOUT CHEF PHILIPPE GION
Philippe Gion has been a professional chef for over 40 years. He was born in the south west of France where he grew up. In 1960 he received his mathematic bachelor degree (Baccalauréat) and won a First Price of cello at the National Conservatory of Music of Tarbes. Then he moved to Paris where he studied Economy at La Sorbonne University. His first job was in the movie business where he made documentaries, commercials and instruction movies for the army. He also received awards for three short fiction movies.
In 1974 he opened his first restaurant, l'Auberge de Pey, in the Landes country (south of Bordeaux) where he was the owner and the executive chef. In 1979 he flew to Tahiti, French Polynesia, and opened the acclaimed restaurant L'Auberge Landaise where he met Marlon Brando. In 1986 Philippe opened his third restaurant, Le Café Landais in San Francisco.
He has been also an executive chef at Stanford University in California and in a private Château in France. He also worked as a food consultant in Hawaii and in Tahiti at the famous Kia ora Hotel. In 1983 he reopened temporarily Marlon Brando's legendary village hotel nestled on Tetiaroa, the private atoll of the actor and cooked for the crew of a movie produced and directed by his brother Christian Gion.
Before following his passion for cooking, Philippe was an accomplished filmmaker and musician (he plays cello and organ). He is also interested in economics, literature, French and American history and international politics.
In 2001 Philippe decided to share his time between his native country and the USA. Philippe currently teaches la Cuisine Française et Provençale and organizes culinary classes in Provence or on the Cote d'Azur, and also in Puerto Rico during the winter season.
His culinary art emphasizes the best Mediterranean ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, herbs, fruits, vegetables, fishes, wines which are well known to be the source of the Cretan food, "one of the healthiest diets in the world".
A CULINARY ADVENTURE IN THE WORLD
'''Auberge Landaise, Tahiti''' The cover of his menu in English carries the following message: “If a dish is missing today from our menu, do not be disappointed. From the market selection the quality I required was not available. Philippe” Philippe is probably the only restaurant owner and chef in Tahiti and her Islands with the courage to make a statement like that. We visited L’Auberge Landaise this past week for having dinner. Our conclusion is that Philippe Gion is one of the most professional chefs and restaurateurs in Tahiti. The food is delicious. The service is excellent. And the atmosphere is ideal. This is a French gastronomic heaven in Tahiti. No wonder why Philippe Gion was selected to provide daily meals for a film crew on Tetiaroa, the private atoll of Marlon Brando TAHITI SUN PRESS, Al Prince, 10-17-1983
'''Café Landais, San Francisco''' Absolutely superb food. The duck was perfectly cooked, very tasty and well presented. And what a fish soup! It was the best version I ever had in San Francisco and perhaps in all the USA. Highly recommended. KGO RADIO, San Francisco, Russ Riera, 1991
'''Stanford Evaluation for Chef Philippe Gion''' Your enthusiastic and caring attitude, your constant wisdom and optimism are greatly appreciated by everyone. The overall quality of food is excellent. Overall rating: Excellent. STANFORD UNIVERSITY, East House residency management, 1997-2000
Best Cooking School Vacations in France Art and Cooking Classes in France offers week-long cooking vacations in either Luberon in Provence or near Cannes in the Cote d'Azur in the south of France. Both options include lodging in a luxury bed and breakfast and 20 hours of hands-on cooking instruction with chef Phillipe Gion, who teaches the art of cooking the Cretan Mediterranean diet. The Cretan Mediterranean diet is a health-conscious form of cooking and eating based on ancient Mediterranean traditions. It uses high quality local olive oils, garlic and fresh seafood. All courses include dinners nightly as well as several "gustations" or tastings of local and high quality wines, cheeses and fruits. USA TODAY, Ocean Malandra, 2010
10 Unbelievable World Vacations for Foodies 1/10. France - Oh, France. Rich history, rich culture, and rich food! If you needed a good reason to want to go to Provence, then check out Culinary and Art Adventure in Provence with Chef Philippe Gion. Located in the village of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in the Luberon, the school teaches students to cook in the Mediterranean style while enjoying the beauty of the Provence countryside. You’ll have 20 hours of intensive lessons, with local wines to get you through it all... READER’S DIGEST ca. Kevin Revolinsky, 2011
Searching for the Secrets of the Fruit That Seduced the World I am organizing a National Geographic expedition exploring the history of the olive tree. We are highlighting some of the traditional French cuisine that uses olive oil, and we would like to interview and film chef Philippe Gion. […]. Julie Angus, 2010 Thank you for creating such a wonderful Provencal experience for us! We will always remember that cooking show and the fantastic meal. Fondly. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC / OLIVE ODYSSEY, Julie & Colin Angus, 2011
The taste and the spirit of Provence Philippe truly brings the taste of Provence to your kitchen and your table. I have cooked over two dozen recipes from this book now, and everyone has been delicious. His instructions are easy to follow, and he has adapted the original recipes to what we can get in American markets. There is nothing better than his Paella to serve a crowd, it always gets rave reviews. Likewise his Soupe à l'Ail (garlic soup) is a wonder! It's not much more than garlic and water with a bunch of herbs, but it brings my heart back to wonderful warm Provençale nights. The Caviar d'Aubergines Provençal is a perfect hors d'oeuvre. The Beignets de Fleurs de Courgettes is the perfect use for those lovely zucchini blossoms that you see at the farmers market, but never know how to use them. Dessert is always a problem, it is just too hard to choose between the classic Tarte Tatin, and the Poire au Vin Rouge et aux Épices (pears pouched in red wine). And then there is the Daube, Rouille, Rougets, Moules, Canard, and all the things that make me want to go back to this beautiful countryside. AMAZON Top Customer Reviews, 5 out of 5 stars, 2015 (Kindle Edition version)
Wonderful and beautiful book on the healthy and delicious Provençal cuisine Wonderful and beautifully written book which brings back the great memories of my visit to Provence! Easy to follow, step-by-step instructions (Philippe makes everything seem so effortless!) to create delicious and healthy dishes. This is a truly inspirational recipe book. I am looking forward to trying out recipes, especially the desserts! AMAZON Top Customer Reviews, 5 out of 5 stars, 2015 (Kindle Edition version)
BOOK PUBLISHED :
A Culinary Adventure in Provence
The Spirit and the Heart of the Cuisine of the Sun
(Distributed by Amazon.com and CreateSpace eStore, USA
First Edition 2016)