Chef Poinard's Media Comments August 2010
Chef Jean-Stephane Poinard Makes a Media Statement
About his Father Jean-Francois Poinard
Famous Culinary Figure found murdered August 10 in Lyon, France
St. Augustine, Florida (August 13, 2010) “The last time I saw my Father was June, 2007, just before my family and I came to the U.S. There are so many things I never finished with my Father and sadly, the best part of his life was still ahead. He was an amazing chef and pastry chef, a perfectionist who loved people and to share the pleasures of his food. He was a true Epicurean who was loved and respected by his colleagues. As one of France’s top chefs, he was known for his ‘cuisine and charisma’.
Unfortunately, for many years he was a different man from the Father I knew growing up, actually before his relationship with Guylene Collober. Somehow she isolated him from everyone he loved. It was a mystery to me and to our entire family why he seemed to always be under a spell, even seemed to be caught in a spider web of strange occurrences. We all recognized that she knew how to manipulate my Father and cut him from people who loved him. One by one, he lost communication with his friends, culinary colleagues and family members. In fact, for over a year when I came to America I kept my French phone # and hoped that one day he would call but it never happened. Even our children wrote him letters and cards with no replies. His birthday was May 5th and it was very difficult not to call him each year to wish him well.
We are very private people so I prefer not to go to France to his funeral. Once the gossip and spotlight have dimmed, I will go to pay my respects with my family. For now, I want to protect my children who are twelve and thirteen. I want to remember my Father as the incredible man who inspired me in my career.
The future of my culinary/restaurant career will include paying tribute to my Father for exciting and encouraging me to be as great a chef as he was. If he could see our Bistro de Leon in St. Augustine he would be proud and ready to join me in the kitchen!
Caricature of Chef Jean-Francois Poinard
By Artist Francois d’Izarny ###
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