Chef Biography
Gerard Crozier was born in Lyon, France in 1946 and embarked upon the traditional apprenticeship at age 14, then put in two years in Lausanne as sous chef at a seafood restaurant.
Two more years took him to St. Tropez on the French Riviera before moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a sous chef at a private club. In 1970, Chef Gerard moved to New Orleans as the sous chef for Great Chef Willy Coln at the Royal Sonesta Hotel. In 1976, both he and Chef Willy left to open their own restaurants. Gerard opened Crozier’s in New Orleans East, where Great Chefs taped Chef Gerard Crozier in 1981 for their first PBS series, Great Chefs of New Orleans, and later in 1983, for the second New Orleans series, Great Chefs of New Orleans II.
In 1989, the Crozier’s moved their restaurant to a suburb of New Orleans in Metairie, Louisiana and Great Chefs came back in 1994, to tape him again for their Discovery Channel series, Great Chefs – Great Cities. In 1999 chef thought it was time to retire and they sold the restaurant to their sous chef. But two years of retirement was about all he could take, and he opened Restaurant Chateaubriand in the Mid-City area of New Orleans in 2001. Four years later, Hurricane Katrina hit and the restaurant was under six feet of water. After the water was gone, some of the Great Chefs crew went out to help Chef Gerard close down the restaurant permanently, turn the lock, and left the furniture out in the parking lot. They then moved to Maryville Tennessee to retire, and four years later, at age 63, he passed away.
Recipes
Chicken in Cream Sauce
Serving: 4 Print Chicken in Cream Sauce By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 A classic comfort food, boned chicken in cream sauce over rice gets a lift from using white wine and heavy cream with sliced mushrooms in the sauce, and a long-grain rice pilaf seasoned with onion and bay leaf. Add color to the […]
Sea Scallop Appetizer
Serving: 4 to 6 Print Sea Scallop Appetizer By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 Sizzling golden scallops top bright green Bibb lettuce leaves. Mustard-flavored mayonnaise accompanies the scallops. Ingredients Egg Yolks – 2 Dijon mustard – 2 teaspoons Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste Peanut Oil – 2 cups Red Wine Vinegar – […]
Asparagus with Homemade Mayonnaise
Serving: 4 Print Asparagus with Homemade Mayonnaise By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 Simplicity itself, this appetizer dresses fresh al dente asparagus with homemade mayonnaise. Making mayonnaise is a relatively simple skill, and once mastered will quickly replace using store-bought mayonnaise as the real thing is so much better. Ingredients Dijon Mustard – 3 Teaspoons […]
Crème Caramel
Serving: Makes fifteen 1/2-cup servings Print Crème Caramel By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 Tender custard hides a layer of golden caramel. You may serve the custards in the cup, with the caramel still hidden, or unmold the custards and reveal the caramel on top. Ingredients Caramel Sugar – 1/2 cup Water – 1/4 cup […]
French Onion Soup
Serving: 6 Print French Onion Soup By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 Is there anything more wonderful on a cold day than French onion soup, with its cap of melted cheese? This delicious soup is easy to make, delicately scented with herbs. Brown the onions well, as the glaze which develops on the bottom of […]
French Pâté
Serving: Makes 1 loaf Print French Pâté By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 This pate recipe came to New Orleans from Lyon with Chef Crozier, who preserves classic French cookery in his restaurant. Because the intensity of the flavor relies on the quality of the ingredients, use the best and freshest you can find. Ingredients […]
Floating Island
Serving: 4 to 6 Print Floating Island By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 This popular dessert consists of a meringue puff, floating in a sea of vanilla sauce. Gerard Crozier poaches his “islands” in vanilla-flavored milk, then uses the same milk mixture for the sauce. He drizzles the finished floating islands with caramel. Ingredients Caramel […]
Ratatouille
Serving: 4 Print Ratatouille By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 Ratatouille, a simple dish with a difficult name, combines some of the best flavors — onion, bell pepper, tomato, zucchini, and eggplant. Use a small scoop to serve. Ingredients Oil – 2 tablespoons Onion – 1, chopped Red Bell Pepper – 1, seeded, deribbed, and […]
Rabbit Chasseur
Serving: 4 Print Rabbit Chasseur By Great Chefs November 16, 2015 Rabbit is more common in Europe than in the United States. Gerard Crozier’s version of rabbit stew gives Americans a good reason to try this relatively new meat. The rabbit is browned, then cooked in wine with onions, mushrooms, and tomato. Note the use […]
Veal Chops Two Ways, with Mushroom Sauce
Serving: 4 Print Veal Chops Two Ways, with Mushroom Sauce By Great Chefs November 9, 2015 The sauce for two of the grilled chops is a heady blend of mushrooms and glace de viande, that luxurious and intensely flavored reduction of meat stock. You may buy the glace in a specialty foods store, or use […]