Saturday,  April 26, 2008 8:25 AM

Food: chef bios

Richard Blondin



Chef Blondin
Name: Richard Blondin

Restaurant: The Refectory, 1092 Bethel Road


Hometown: Lyon, France

Background: Chef Blondin began his culinary career at the age of 17 at the Brasserie Lyonnaise from 1978 to 1980. The following two years were spent perfecting his culinary and pastry talents at the renowned Pierre Orsi’s in Lyon. Blondin spent a year and a half as chef de partie at the Frantel Hotel and an additional six months at the Millet Pastry Shoppe to further his pastry skills, both in Lyon.

Blondin spent the better part of the next two years on the staff of the Chef Paul Bocuse Restaurant in Lyon, renowned for being one of the top five fine French restaurants in the world and one of a few in France that has maintained the maximum three star rating from Michelin for decades. He accepted the position of chef de cuisine for three years at the famed Le Bellecour in Paris followed by four years as chef de cuisine at L’Auberge in Dayton, Ohio.

Blondin then moved to Vail to become sous-chef at the number one rated French restaurant in Colorado, the Left Bank. Since November 1992, Columbus has enjoyed the culinary talents of Blondin at The Refectory as chef de cuisine. He returns to France regularly to expand his repertoire of culinary delights.

Most memorable kitchen experience: My worst kitchen disaster? I was apprenticing in the restaurant of the famous Pierre Orsi in Lyon under the direction of a chef who ranked somewhere between Orsi and myself. I was told to prepare the vanilla beans for some dessert. I was carefully splitting the expensive beans down the center and removing the inner seeds – then pitching them in a garbage can. I didn't know at the time that it was the inner seed that carries the flavor. I missed the blows, but Orsi yelled – no screamed – at the department chef who was my teacher. I won't forget that.


Best thing about the Columbus dining scene: The Refectory is part of it

 

Back to local chef bios

Back to Food section

 



Story tools

Today’s Top Stories
February 9, 2010 | Currently:  27° Light Snow
Search the Web Search this site