The Legacy of Michel Richard
A native of Brittany, France, at age 14 Michel Richard moved to Champagne and apprenticed in a patisserie. Three years later, the bright lights and epicurean savoir-faire of Paris became Michel’s home while working at the esteemed pastry shop Gaston Lenotre. In 1974, Lenotre came to the United States to open a patisserie and brought Michel with him.
After many years of great success in Los Angeles and expanding his business globally, Michel moved to Washington, DC where he launched his flagship restaurant, Michel Richard Citronelle. Later, in 2007, Central Michel Richard opened in downtown Washington, DC, and won the 2008 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in the United States.
Michel was awarded the 2007 James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef and has been featured in the Washington Post, Washingtonian, The New York Times, and Los Angeles Times, among many others. His creativity can be seen in prestigious epicurean publications such as Food & Wine, Food Arts, Bon Appetit, and on the cover of the late great Gourmet.
Michel’s restaurants hold top honors in the best American dining guides such as Gayot and Zagat and he has published three books, Home Cooking with a French Accent, Happy in the Kitchen, and Sweet Magic.