Frédéric Anton, the Parisian chef behind Le Pré Catelan and the Jules Verne restaurant at the Eiffel Tower, has been awarded Chef of the Year 2025 by the prestigious Gault & Millau guide.
The 60-year-old chef, who succeeds Yoann Conte of the eponymous restaurant in Veyrier-du-Lac in the French Alps, responded to the honour with characteristic humour.
“Given my age, I thought I might go straight to the Académie Française,” he said, referring to the institution known for its highly prestigious members, the "Immortels", who are often senior figures in French cultural and intellectual life.
Anton oversees the Pré Catelan in the Bois de Boulogne, the Jules Verne, which earned a second Michelin star this year, and the Don Juan II, a restaurant boat that cruises the Seine.
The Gault & Millau guide – founded by two restaurant critics in 1969 – praised his connection to traditional Parisian cuisine while noting his Lorraine roots and exceptional career path, including his time working with renowned chef Joël Robuchon.
The Chef of the Year award recognises chefs at the peak of their careers, with the guide's investigations director Marc Esquerré noting that timing and circumstances play a crucial role in the selection.
“The title is the culmination of a career, recognising a chef at the peak of their craft, with all the right conditions aligning for this distinction that year,” he said.
Gault & Millau also honoured Sébastien Nabaile from Château de Pavie in Saint-Émilion as Pastry Chef of the Year.
Bastien Debono of La Table de Yoann Conte earned the title of Sommelier of the Year.
