French gastronomy star Jean Imbert, chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Plaza Athenee, will no longer hold these positions due to allegations of domestic violence against him, the management announced on Wednesday.
However, he will remain as artistic director, stated Francois Delahaye, the general manager of the Parisian palace, confirming reports from Ebra group newspapers. Imbert will be responsible for bringing new ideas for concepts or dishes to the restaurant, but will no longer be giving orders.
“With what has happened in his private life, we are removing him from the spotlight,” Delahaye specified. Jocelyn Herland, who was previously the executive chef of the restaurant, will take his place, he continued.
In fact, the management of Plaza Athenee simply accelerated things as Imbert’s contract was set to end in June anyway, according to the same source.
His restaurant, named JiPa (Jean Imbert Plaza Athenee), may also undergo a name change. “There is still time to think about it, there is no rush,” Delahaye mentioned, admitting that the establishment’s attendance had been “slightly affected” since the revelations of the domestic violence accusations.
Delahaye expressed a desire to keep Imbert in the establishment pending his trial. “If he is proven guilty, I will take the responsibilities that are mine. But for now, he is still presumed innocent,” he emphasized.
Dubbed as “the chef of the stars,” Jean Imbert is facing an investigation for domestic violence opened by the Versailles prosecutor’s office following a complaint filed by one of his ex-partners, former actress Lila Salet, for incidents dating back to 2012-2013.
Other women have reported in the media experiencing physical and psychological violence from the chef, including Miss France 2006 Alexandra Rosenfeld. She recounted how Imbert had broken her nose in October 2013 during the filming of a show on M6 that the couple co-hosted.
The Top Chef winner denies these accusations. He had already stepped back from the Martinez, a Cannes palace, where he had the privilege of preparing the prestigious dinner for the Cannes Film Festival jury.
This article was published automatically. Sources: ats / afp.
