Philippe Roussel & Cafe D’Alsace

A third generation chef who hails from Brittany, France, Philippe Roussel was introduced to the culinary world by his father, a chef and restaurateur.  Philippe attended the École Hôtelière in Rennes, then started his career apprenticeship at Le Lion d’Or in Liffre, France before moving to the three-star Michelin restaurant, Troisgros, in Roanne, where he worked under Great Chef Michel Troisgros.  While waiting for a chef de partie position at Michel Guérard’s Les Prés d’Eugénie in 1986, Great Chef Daniel Boulud invited him to work at that position at Le Regence in the Hôtel Plaza Athénée in New York City.  Soon after, Chef Guérard requested that Chef Roussel return to France and work under him, which he did.

In 1988, he was invited to be sous chef at Windows on the World in New York’s World Trade Center, and in 1991 he accepted the position of Executive Chef at La Metairie.  Two years later, the Great Chefs television crew showed up to tape Chef Roussel at La Metairie for their Great Chefs of America series for the Discovery Channel.

In 1995 he began to move around in New York City as executive chef at Chelsea Bistro & Bar (1995-1999);  then over to work under Great Chef Daniel Boulud at Restaurant Daniel as sous chef (1999-2000); and again as executive chef at Park Bistro (2000-2001); then Montparnasse (2001-2004), and finally as executive chef of Café D’Alsace from 2006 until today, 2016.