Jacques Pépin

Jacques Pépin is a French chef, author, culinary educator, television personality, and artist.

Jacques Pépin is a French chef, author, culinary educator, television personality, and artist. He is known for his influential cookbooks, including *La Technique*, and for popular cooking programs that helped make French culinary methods accessible to home cooks.

Early life and training

Jacques Pépin was born in Bourg-en-Bresse, France, in 1935. He developed an early interest in cooking through his family’s restaurant work. He trained in French kitchens before building his career in Paris and later moving to the United States in 1959.

Career in the United States

After arriving in the United States in 1959, Pépin became known for restaurant work, cookbook writing, and television appearances. He wrote more than 30 cookbooks and became widely known for *La Technique*. His teaching style emphasized practical technique and made French cooking more accessible to American audiences.

Books and television

Pépin authored more than 30 books, with *La Technique* and *La Méthode* among his best-known works. He also hosted and appeared in numerous cooking shows, including collaborations with Julia Child. He co-hosted *Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home* with Julia Child.

Teaching and foundation work

Pépin taught culinary students and later created the Jacques Pépin Foundation in 2016. The foundation supports culinary education and training for people facing employment barriers.