A M O V E A B L E F E A S T Robuchon's Last Supper France's "chef of the century" hangs up his toque By Cynthia Durcanin PARIS -- a chapter in French gastronomic history has come to a close. On July 5, Joel Robuchon, known in this food-obsessed country as the "chef of the century," prepared his last supper. News that the legendary self-taught chef, who became the first -- and youngest -- chef to win three consecutive Michelin stars, is retiring had the food world abuzz for more than a year. The 51-year-old Robuchon, whose elite Paris restaurant bears his name, has passed the toque to another Michelin three-star chef, Alain Ducasse, the chef of Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo. Ducasse will himself break new culinary ground, becoming the first "six-star chef" as he attempts the daunting feat of juggling two three-star dining rooms. He will reopen Robuchon's restaurant in the bourgeois 16th arrondissement under his own name on August 12. Out of respect for Robuchon's culinary legacy, and for those who have never had the opportunity to taste his magic, Ducasse plans to keep several of Robuchon's trademark dishes on the menu, including his sublime black truffle tart and his luxurious layered gelée of caviar with cauliflower cream. Renowned for his obsession for detail, Robuchon's intense technical precision has been likened to a fine-tuned Swiss watch. Throughout his reign, he limited the number of diners in his rarefied emporium of haute cuisine to a mere 40, making his table, with an average three-month waiting list, one of the most difficult to book in the world. A purist who uses only the highest-quality ingredients, Robuchon accepts his culinary accolades with humility and grace. His approach is deceptively simple: respect the original flavor. "Chicken should taste like chicken," he says, speaking as if in some cryptic code. Robuchon may have moved out of the kitchen, but he has plenty of projects on his plate as he assumes his new role of gastronomic ambassador. During a recent interview at his sumptuous Art Nouveau restaurant, the elusive chef discussed his successes, the langoustine he'd like to forget and the two American chefs he admires most. When did you first realize you wanted to become a chef? I never intended to be a chef; actually, I wanted to be a priest. I attended seminary school and used to work in the kitchen helping the nuns peel vegetables and scrub pots and pans. I couldn't afford to pursue my studies, so I left for Paris and took a job in the kitchen at the Concorde-Lafayette Hotel. It was this way for many of the great chefs of my generation. I shouldn't say this, but 80 percent are unable to write a sentence without making a mistake. By the time I was 29, I was managing 90 cooks who put out 5000 meals a day. This is how I learned to be organized. To be one of the best, you need to learn every aspect of the business; you must be able to cook brasserie food, know what to serve at cocktail parties and prepare refined food. What do you remember most about the opening night of your restaurant? I was very anxious. I invested everything I had in the restaurant. I sold my apartment, I was beginning a new life without knowing exactly the value of it at a professional level. During that first month I didn't sleep. Eight days after my opening all the newspapers, Le Monde, Figaro, etc., had written very positive reviews and from that time on my restaurant was always booked. I think after the excesses of nouvelle cuisine, people were ready for something more traditional, less sophisticated. I remember Le Figaro predicted that my restaurant would be a force of the future. I thought the guy was crazy to write like that! I thought my success was a matter of fashion and would be short-lived. In your opinion, what makes a great chef? You have to have a passion because it's very tough work. It's also very physical. A lot of chefs die young, not because they're fat, but because of the strain of the job. Yesterday, for example, I arrived at 8 a.m. and didn't go home until 1:30 a.m. You must also be a perfectionist in all things and be strict. You must also have a good team. You shouldn't have to explain everything to them because there should be a harmony in the kitchen. I've noticed that when I have a cold there is not the same spirit in the kitchen. Everyone is affected, it's like a chain reaction. The food tastes different. What is your personal culinary philosophy? Every time you cook you take a life. And you must show respect for that life. You do this in how you handle it, how you treat it and how you ultimately prepare it. Your creation must be worthy of that life. I believe in a "cuisine of flavors," a cuisine that draws on the flavors of the regions in France. The problem with nouvelle cuisine is that all the flavors are mixed and it's difficult to distinguish a particular flavor. I believe in cuisine that has distinctive flavors; chicken that tastes like chicken. Nouvelle cuisine masks the flavor, the aroma, there's no harmony. Kiwi doesn't belong with fish. Which chefs do you admire? David Boule, a chef who trained here, who now has his own restaurant in New York. I also have a lot of admiration for Julia Child. She is a true pioneer in American cuisine because she changed the American mentality about cuisine, which wasn't easy. She showed people that even if you don't make a lot of money you can still prepare fine cuisine at home. And I like a lot Alice Waters. I visited (Berkeley, California's) Chez Panisse and I love this restaurant. There is a respect for the product. The flavors are not all mashed up. It echoes what I do. What do you deem as your greatest success? My gelée de caviar a la crème de choux fleur (cauliflower). I first created this in 1985. I love caviar and I started with an idea to create a dish using egg and cauliflower cream. I wanted to create something that had multiple layers, each with a different texture. When you eat it, you experience three different, complementary tastes. Have you ever had a real kitchen disaster? I don't think I've ever failed with a dish, but I have had an ingredient betray me. Once I was cooking for some important clients and I bought a very rare, special type of langoustine. They are known for their taste and very red color. I prepared them and served them on a beautiful platter. Almost immediately one of the guests told the maitre d'hotel that they were overcooked. He came to me and I said, "It's not possible! I cooked them myself to perfection. There is no room for error." I checked the langoustines and the entire interior was soft with no texture. I was betrayed by the product. They looked exceptional, but were obviously not of a good quality. For me this was a professional nightmare. My credibility was questioned. For a long time I felt very bad. I would have preferred that it was my fault because I could have fixed it. But in this case, I had no weapon. To date, what is the most memorable day in your career? The day I received my third Michelin star. It was the best day of my professional life. You have cooked for many famous politicians and celebrities. Can you share with us some of their special requests or creations you have made especially for them? I never make special requests. I only serve what I like to eat. Describe for us your idea of the perfect meal. To make a grand meal, you have to make it simple. But to look simple is very complicated. You have to have the highest quality products, the best equipment and you have to keep the focus on the original flavor of the product. The cooking follows my tastes of the moment. This may come as a surprise, but I know a lot of chefs who don't like what they cook. Many cooks don't even taste the food they don't like. I make the client eat what I like. What two ingredients should never be combined? I am very surprised and puzzled by this trend of using an au jus de boeuf with fish. What is your comfort food when you are in a bad mood or feeling a little sad? I don't really have one because everything is going well for me. Is there anything you don't like to eat? Tapioca, it will never be on the menu. Much has been written about the French diet and the French love affair with cream, butter and red meat. How is it that more people don't die from it? Is it really the red wine? It's a true paradox. People say French cuisine is rich and heavy, yet we have a lower heart disease rate. What's more, the people from the Southwest of France who eat the most foie gras live the longest! People pose this question all the time, but I really have no clue as to why it's this way. Maybe it's a cliche, but good food is good for the soul. Why did you decide to retire now? I promised myself I would retire in my prime. I don't think there's very much I could do to improve. Now I want to use the knowledge I have attained for a multitude of projects: a daily television show, consulting projects with supermarkets and restaurants, and maybe a cooking school. What is the greatest compliment a chef can receive? The client who just after paying for a very expensive meal in my restaurant books his next reservation.