Chef Biography
Roger Verge was born April 7, 1930 in Commentry, which is in central France. His father was a blacksmith, and he claims he was inspired to learn cooking from his aunt Celestine, to whom he has dedicated many of his books.
He trained at the Tour d’Argent and the Plaza Athenee, before leaving France to go to work in Africa at the Mansour de Casablanca in Morocco, L’Oasis in Algeria, and in Kenya. Once back in France in the 1960’s, he worked in the restaurants Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo and Le Club de Cavaliere in Le Lavandou, which became one of the celebrations of the Cote d’Azur. It was at this time that Chef Roger Verge’s Cuisine du Soleil (Cuisine of the Sun) was born.
In Mougins, epicenter for Chef Verge’s influence, he opened Moulin de Mougins in 1969 with his wife Denise. It received its first Michelin star in 1990, a second in 1972 and his third in 1974. In 1977 he opened another restaurant in the historic heart of the village of Mougins,
L’Amandier de Mougins which focused more on cuisine Nicoise. Also in 1977, Great Chef Alain Ducasse worked as an assistant at the Moulin de Mougins, and is where he learned the Provençal cooking methods for which he later became renowned.
He is credited with inventing “nouvelle cuisine” with Paul Bocuse, Lenôtre, and the Troisgrois brothers.
The Great Chefs team showed up in 1998 to tape Chef Verge preparing artichokes a la Barigoule, and three entrees, Chicken and Olives Roulades, Beef & Truffles, and Monkfish Medallions.
Chef Roger Verge is considered one of the Greatest Chefs of his time. Gault Millau has described him as the very incarnation of the Great French Chef for Foreigners. He has written as many books as he has received awards.
In 2003 he retired from cooking and handed Le Moulin de Mougins over to Alain Llorca, previously of the Hotel Negresco in Nice. In January 2013, Chef Erwan Louaisil, formerly of Great Chef Daniel Boulud in New York City and Ducasse’s Louis XVI in Monte Carlo, became the Executive Chef.
In 2015 Roger Vergé passed away at the age of 85. He will forever be known for his work founding Nouvelle Cuisine.
Recipes
Chicken and Olives Roulades With Tomato Sauce and Thyme
Serving: 4 Print Chicken and Olives Roulades With Tomato Sauce and Thyme By Great Chefs May 27, 2014 Roulade is a French term for a thin slice of meat rolled around a filling. Here the roulade is chicken breast with a mousse filling seasoned with olives and herb stuffing, set in a pool of tomato […]
Artichokes à la Barigoule
Serving: 4 Print Artichokes à la Barigoule By Great Chefs May 27, 2014 A simple vegetable dish, Artichokes à la Barigoule combines some of the most wonderful flavors of southern France — olive, basil, garlic, thyme — with baby artichokes, and serves them with tomato sauce. The tiniest artichokes are easiest to obtain in the […]
Thin Slices of Beef with Truffles and Spinach
Serving: 4 Print Thin Slices of Beef with Truffles and Spinach By Great Chefs May 27, 2014 In this elegant French preparation, truffles are layered between slices of beef fillet set upon a bed of sautéd fresh spinach. The chef prefers the use of fresh truffles, but in this case they were not in season; […]
Monkfish Medallions with Red Bell Pepper Coulis
Serving: 6 Print Monkfish Medallions with Red Bell Pepper Coulis By Great Chefs May 27, 2014 Creamy monkfish medallions, steamed, then seared with spices, are lined up down the center of plates sauced with yellow and red pepper coulis. Chef Vergé garnishes the plates with olive and basil purees, basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes. Ingredients […]
Restaurant Information
Phone : +33 4 93 75 78 24
Address : 1028 Avenue Notre-Dame de Vie, 06250 Mougins, France