Philippe Etchebest officially knighted in the Legion of Honor
Four years after his nomination, Philippe Etchebest received his insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur from Emmanuel Macron. But what are the criteria for this distinction?
Further recognition for Philippe Etchebest. The Meilleur Ouvrier de France, who was awarded the Trophée Gault&Millau d'Or Nouvelle-Aquitaine in 2022, received the insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur from the President of the Republic. He had been nominated by decree on December 31, 2019 for his "24 years of service" and had to wait until this November 3, 2023 to receive his knight's cross.
"Honor and homeland," the chef began in a message on his Instagram account. "This week, I had the immense pride of being made a knight of the Legion of Honor. For me, this honorary title represents my commitment to promoting French cuisine and our republican values", said Philippe Etchebest, accompanying these few sentences with a photo in the company of Emmanuel Macron.
What is a Knight of the Legion of Honor?
While we often hear about the Legion of Honor ceremony, it's hard to know exactly what it's all about. So what are the criteria for being honored? First of all, you have to have worked for at least twenty years in the public interest, have a "clean criminal record and be of good character", according to the servicepublic.fr website. Finally, they must be nominated by a minister following a request made by a political figure, an association or a group of 50 people.
Philippe Etchebest is not the only gastronomic figure to have received an award this autumn. For her part, Anne-Sophie Pic"felt a certain pride in receiving the insignia of Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite", and said she was "honored on this very special day by how far we've come."The chef also thanked her teams around the world, as well as her husband, David Sinapian, who has worked hand in hand with her for over thirty years.
