The Disciples d’Auguste Escoffier was created in 1954 by Jean Ducroux, a chef from Nice, France and President of the Fraternelle des Cuisiniers. Within this association he organized a contest - the Grand Prix Auguste Escoffier. At that time, no culinary organization existed in the south of France. His idea was to bring together chefs of the region’s important hotels. They developed a proclamation which then served as a guide to the induction ceremony. The first chapter was created in 1960 with Eugene Herbodeau as its President. Herbodeau worked with Auguste Escoffier and wrote a book about him. Eighty Disciples d’Auguste Escoffier were initially inducted and since then it has developed throughout France and other countries.
After Jean Ducroux passed away different presidents took the reins. In the 1980’s Henri Ricottier contributed greatly to widening the Disciples’ influence and regional delegations flourished. Then the new president, Jean-Claude Guillon, chef of the Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat, the new secretary general, Bernard-Louis Jaunet and the organization’s management revised the statutes that were no longer appropriate and attempted to build a dynamic, well-organized organization that brought together the French and foreign delegations under the single banner: International Order of Disciples of Auguste Escoffier.
In 2007 Jean-Pierre Biffi, executive chef of Potel & Chabot and president of the Paris Ile de France Region, was elected as the International President. His goal was to bring together all of the Disciples Escoffier from around the world, modernize the Disciples and commit them to the “Esprit Escoffier” campaign:
EQUALITY AND APPEARANCE
There is no distinction of rank among the Disciples; their induction is identical
KNOWLEDGE AND TRANSMISSION
Disciples make an effort to share and pass on their knowledge
CULTURE AND MODERNITY
Disciples respect culinary history and encourage continual evolution
GENEROSITY AND UNITY
Disciples support charity
“Cuisine will evolve just as society itself evolves, without ceasing to be an art.” - Auguste Escoffier
During the Board of Administration and General Assembly meeting on February 3, 2008, “Disciples Escoffier International” was adopted and the organization was defined as: “An organization for the transmission, culture and modernity of the culinary arts.”
The Disciples Escoffier International is the premier gastronomic society established in France to maintain the good name and traditions of French Cuisine. The goals of the Disciples Escoffier International are to honor the memory of Auguste Escoffier in France, and worldwide, promoting and preserving his work and maintaining the great culinary traditions; to promote culinary education and apprenticeship encouraging young people to discover the desire and motivation to work as a professional chef. The Disciples Escoffier International continues to work in close cooperation with schools, establishing contacts between professionals and students; to organize culinary events worthy of these traditions; to honor those in the culinary profession who work to maintain the high standards of French haute cuisine and to unite all Disciples Escoffier from around the world and in the “Esprit Escoffier”.
Today, there is a worldwide membership of over 30,000; Australia, Benelux, Canada, China, France, Grande Chine, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Macau, Madagascar, New Caledonia, Occitania & Catalonia, Philippines, Portugal, Reunion, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam. It is in this spirit that the Disciples Escoffier International - USA strives to develop its national membership, establish a culinary scholarship fund and continue its charitable endeavors.
Disciples Escoffier International Website (click to download)
Foundation Auguste Escoffier Website (click to download)
Escoffier Museum of Culinary Art, Villeneuve-Loubet, France … read more (click to download)
DISCIPLES ESCOFFIER INTERNATIONAL - USA
Michel Bouit, mandated by France as USA President, began accepting new members in June 2006 with the goal to create a national membership of Disciples in the categories of: professional chef; food or wine producer; sommelier/maître d’hotel/restaurateur/hospitality industry professionals; food enthusiasts/food industry professional/food media. The Disciples Escoffier International - USA works with Les Amis d’Escoffier Societies and Les Dames d’Escoffier nationwide to honor individuals for their continued support of the culinary arts and their belief in the “Esprit Escoffier” and the advancement of Maitre Escoffier’s legacy.
DISCIPLES ESCOFFIER INTERNATIONAL - USA
Welcome new members
Alex Spicer, Executive Chef
Purchasing Instructor
Ivy Tech Community College Northern Indiana
Indianapolis
Student Disciples
Elizabeth Bauder
Leisha Berg
Gwendolyn Billingsley
Taryn Ellsberry
Olyvia Fleck
Mitchell Grosser
Angela Gutierrez
Skylar Ward
Norman Hart, Executive Chef, Chef Director
American Academy of Culinary Arts
Pittsburgh Technical College, Pittsburgh
Kent Andersen, Executive Chef
Tall Hat Food
Orem, UT
Harry Linzmayer, Miami Florida, Master Chef
ACHIGA Member
Honorary Life Member and Judge of Worldchef
Member The l’Acadèmie Culinaire of France
World Master Chef Society
Silver Medal as Academic Ambassador of the French Gastronomic Culture for the World
Membership Application
PDF Link (click to download)
Student Membership Application
PDF Link (click to download)
2019 Annual Membership
PDF Link (click to download)
Contact Information Update
PDF Link (click to download)
Calendar of Events - 2019
Mark your calendars for our upcoming dinners & inductions. Locations to be announced soon.
Thursday October 3
Alhambra Restaurant
1240 W. Randolph St.
Dinner & Induction
6 PM
Menu & Reservation
PDF Link (click to download)
Chef Khellil has confirm the date of Thursday October 3 for our Disciples Escoffier International USA. Please reserve early to ensure great success. He is very excited to showcase his culinary talent. We will also induct chef Tom Birmingham of Club Chefs Society, IA & Research Chef John Draz of Ed Miniat LLC, South Bend, IL . And please feel free to recommend someone for induction. It does not have to be Chefs, it can be food enthusiasts or others, refer to membership application enclosed.
Thursday November 14
Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration
Dinner & Induction
KIKI Bistro
900 N. Franklin St.
Chicago, IL
6 PM
Congratulations!
Chef Category - Red sash & gold diploma
Deborah Bando-Duit
Charles L. Duit
Gary LeBlanc
Steve DeShazo
Roger M. Kaplan
Pavla M. VanBibber
Michael Gregory, Posthumously
Front left to right: Mme. Monica Greene, Chef Arlene Mead, Chef Steve DeShazo, Chef Lynn Krause-Davis, Chef Sharon Van Meter, Chef Debbie Bando-Duit, Chef Mary Chamberlin, Chef Gary LeBlanc, Dick Dodds, M. Michael Davis, Chef Mynetta Cockerell
Back left to right: Jerry Liebbe, M. Michel Escoffier, Chef Roger Kaplan, Chef Pavlov Van Bibber & Chef Charles Duit
Hospitality Industry Professional - Purple sash & gold & blue diploma
Michael Davis
Monica Greene
Food Enthusiast - Blue sash & gold & blue diploma
Dick Dodds
Monday October 8 – 6:00 pm
Disciples Inductions & Evolution Dinner created by Chef Bernard Guillas
The Marine Room
La Jolla, CA
Congratulations!
Chef Category - Red sash & gold diploma
Flor Franco
Luis Gonzalez
Bernard Guillas
Mark Kropczynski
Javier Plascencia
Patrick Ponsaty
Jeffrey Strauss
Hospitality Industry Professional - Purple sash & gold & blue diploma
Maria Gomez Laurens
Araceli Ramos Rosaldo
Food Enthusiast - Blue sash & gold & blue diploma
Michelle Ciccarelli Lerach
Monday October 15 – 6:00 pm
Disciples Inductions & Dinner hosted by the Monterey Plaza
Monterey, CA
Congratulations!
Chef Category - Red sash & gold diploma
Michael Jones
Jay Marshall
Julien Belliard
Hospitality Industry Professional - Purple sash & gold & blue diploma
Brad Rocca
Matt J. Rocca
Food or Wine Producer
Vincent D. Papagni
Food Enthusiast - Blue sash & gold & blue diploma
Philip Preston
Thursday November 15 - 6:00 pm
Dinner & Inductions
Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration
Kiki Bistro
900 N. Franklin
Chicago, IL
Reserve today - Invitation & Menu
News
“Email Gourmand”
Click here to read. Founded in July 2003, weekly gastronomic & touristic information for Region Provence-Alpes-Cotes d’Azur & more.
53rd Chapter - Escoffier Museum - Villeneuve-Loubet, France
Chef-Proprietor Patrick O’Connell, The Inn at Little Washington, 2-star Michelin & Relais & Chateaux was inducted as Disciple of Auguste Escoffier on October 8 at the Musée de l’Art Culinaire housed in the childhood home of Auguste Escoffier in Villeneuve-Loubet. We welcome him as a new member of the Disciples Escoffier International USA.
54th Chapter - Monteverde Chicago - Celebrated Chefs Turn Out To Honor Culinary Great, Auguste Escoffier
Event Photo Gallery