French gastronomy star Jean Imbert, chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Plaza Athénée, will no longer hold these positions due to the allegations of domestic violence against him, the management announced on Wednesday.
However, he will remain as artistic director, said François Delahaye, managing director of the Parisian palace, confirming information from Ebra group newspapers. He will be responsible for bringing ideas for concepts or new dishes to the restaurant, but will no longer give orders.
“With what has happened in his private life, we are removing him from the spotlight,” Delahaye said. Jocelyn Herland, who was already the executive chef of the restaurant, will take his place, he continued.
The management of the Plaza Athénée actually just accelerated things as Jean Imbert’s contract was supposed to end in June anyway, according to the same source.
His restaurant, named JiPa (for Jean Imbert Plaza Athénée), may also change its name. “There is still time to think about it, there is no rush,” Delahaye said, admitting that the restaurant’s attendance “has been somewhat affected” since the revelations about the allegations of domestic violence.
Psychological and physical violence
Delahaye said he wants to keep Jean Imbert within the establishment, pending his trial. “If he is found guilty, I will take responsibility for my actions. But for now, he is still presumed innocent,” he emphasized.
Dubbed “the chef of the stars,” Jean Imbert is the subject of an investigation for domestic violence opened by the Versailles prosecutor’s office following a complaint filed by one of his ex-partners, former actress Lila Salet, for incidents dating back to 2012-2013.
Other women have claimed in the press to have suffered physical and psychological violence from the chef, including Miss France 2006 Alexandra Rosenfeld. She recounted how Jean Imbert had fractured her nose in October 2013 during the filming of a show on M6 that the couple co-hosted.
The winner of Top Chef denies these accusations. He had already stepped back from the Martinez, a Cannes palace, where he had the privilege of preparing the prestigious dinner for the Cannes Film Festival jury.
This article has been published automatically. Sources: ats / afp
