Paul Bocuse Death

How the food world is remembering the celebrated 'pope' of French cuisine

Legendary French chef Paul Bocuse has passed away at the age of 91, his family announced on Saturday.

One of the culinary world's most influential figures, Bocuse is most known for being a pioneer of nouvelle cuisine, a movement that emphasizes the quality of ingredients with a focus on presentation and a mastery of technique. His three-Michelin-star restaurant, L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges, has held the distinction for nearly 50 years, while Bocuse himself was named Chef of the Century by the Culinary Institute of America. He was also the founder and namesake of the Bocuse d'Or, the food world's most prestigious cooking competition.

Bocuse spent the later years of his life battling Parkinson's disease; according to The Guardian, he died in the very same home he was born in, which he had previously turned into L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges.

"Today French gastronomy has lost a legendary figure who transformed it profoundly," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement. "Chefs are crying in their kitchens at the Elysée and everywhere in France. But they will carry on his work."

Since the announcement of Bocuse's death, the world's top chefs have been posting tributes in honor of the man who defined much of fine cooking as we know it today.