Rochat (Philippe) : Philippe Rochat is a Chef Swiss, born November 29, 1953 in Path and died on July 8, 2015 at Cheseaux sur Lausanne, owner of the Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville in Crissier which obtained 3 stars at the Michelin from 1997 to 2012 and a score of 19 in the guide Gault Millau.
Biography of Philippe Rochat:
Philippe Rochat was born on November 29, 1953 in Le Sentier, in the Joux Valley, of a Vaudois father, André Rochat, and an Italian mother, Angelina Locatelli. Following the death of his mother from cancer when he was nine years old, his father remarried and moved to Romont, where he took over a café. In 1968, at the age of fourteen, Philippe Rochat began an apprenticeship as a cook at the Buffet de la Gare in Romont, run by the father of one of his school friends, Marcel Cavuscens.
From 1972, he worked in various palaces, and spent six years in Zurich, first at the Savoy Baur en Ville, then at the Baur au Lac. On July 1, 1980, he began to work under the orders of Frédy girardet, at the Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville in Crissier. After working in all kitchen positions, he was promoted to chef in 1989.
In 1995, he married the marathon runner Franziska Rochat-Moser, then, on December 1, 1996, he took over the restaurant following the withdrawal of Frédy girardet. The restaurant temporarily lost its 3rd star in the Michelin Guide, but it quickly regained it in 1997.
In 1999, he received the title of "Chef of the Year" awarded by the Swiss Gault&Millau, and in 2000, the Gault Millau French writes "Crissier is still home to the best restaurant in the world".
In March 2002, Franziska Rochat-Moser died in a mountain accident; after a break in Lapland, Philippe Rochat took over the restaurant, and embarked on various projects, including "Flavours", a cookbook which will be published in 2003. In 2006, he received the insignia of knight of the order National of Merit awarded to him by Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time. In 2012, he handed over his restaurant to Benoit Violier, his chef. In 2013, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Tours (France). He lived at Jouxtens-Mezery.
On July 8, 2015 in the morning, he died of a malaise during a bike ride.
Sources: Jean-Claude Ribaut, “The three flavors of Philippe Rochat”, Le Monde, June 11, 2008.
Olivier Toublan, “Rochat is cheaper than a pizzeria”, Bilan, October 1, 2003.
Publication by Philippe Rochat:
Philippe Rochat, Véronique Zbinden and Pierre-Michel Delessert, Flavors, Editions Pierre-Marcel Favre, Lausanne, 2003 (ISBN 2-8289-0750-3)