Famous diners

[roosterchef21]

Was just wondering which celebrities/famous people you've seen when you've been out for a meal in France. Where was it at?

Edited December 7, 2008 by roosterchef21 (log)

[olivier]

Only time I saw someone "famous" in a restaurant was at Isami, where Julie Andrieu had dinner at the counter where we were seated too.

I didn't know who she was at that time but my girlfriend recognized her instantly.

Why do you ask, by the way?

[John Talbott]

Was just wondering which celebrities/famous people you've seen when you've been out for a meal in France. Where was it at?

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I assume, sticking to the Mission of the Society, you're referring to food-related folk. Well, I "had lunch with Pudlo" (well next to him) and 2 kids (? his) at the "common table" at Afaria anbd as I've described elsewhere been elbows away from Bocuse and 6 of his starred cronies from the South at Drouant.

[Laidback]

Ms. L. and I were dining at Les Papilles at few years back and recognized John Talbott in another foursome...surely that counts and is forum appropriate.

[Ptipois]

Some evenings, in some restaurants that have been the talk of the town for a few days, you can enter the dining-room and see critics and food journalists seated at five or six different tables, looking a little awkward and extremely disappointed to be gathered in the same place for no special reason — a phenomenon akin to ladies going to a party and discovering other ladies wearing the same dress. This is by no means intentional, they just happen to have had the same idea all at the same time, following a press article or, um, a blog post.

I have been in that situation twice and I think it is a lot of fun, especially since the restaurateurs and waiters do not always know everbody's faces but all journalists know each other at least by sight.

[Ptipois]

The first time I went to Gérard Besson, with Julot, we were thus warned by the waiter: "The gentlemen at the large table over there will be a little noisy, we'd like to apologize in advance."

Indeed there was an oval table of 12-15 seatings nearby, still empty, but soon two or three of the chairs were occupied by gentlemen, including novelist Yann Queffélec. I should have known: Queffélec is not only a gourmand (he can often be seen eating at the Constant places), he is also a close friend of Jean-Luc Petitrenaud's.

Sure enough Jean-Luc arrived soon afterwards, while a magnum of a bright straw-colored liquid was circulating and other men were sitting down. Indeed the atmosphere quickly became joyful and noisy. Jean-Luc Petitrenaud visibly had had a few apéritifs before entering the restaurant and looked a little spaced out. His complexion was quite rosy to begin with and was turning gradually to bordeaux red. When we left our table and took a better look at him while walking to the door, he had reached the beet-purple stage and had a sweet, dreamy look in his eyes. I looked at him steadily and said hi, he nodded but did not recognize me. He no longer could. I refrained from shouting at him: "Hey buddy, I wrote a whole book for you, remember?" — I think he wouldn't have heard me at all.

What were they eating, those guys? Oh it was marvellous. Small cocottes of Dombes quail birds with black truffles. The smell was intoxicating. One thing with Petitrenaud is that you can always trust him for good, reliable addresses.

[John Talbott]

Some evenings, in some restaurants that have been the talk of the town for a few days, you can enter the dining-room and see critics and food journalists seated at five or six different tables, looking a little awkward and extremely disappointed to be gathered in the same place for no special reason — a phenomenon akin to ladies going to a party and discovering other ladies wearing the same dress. This is by no means intentional, they just happen to have had the same idea all at the same time, following a press article or, um, a blog post.

I have been in that situation twice and I think it is a lot of fun, especially since the restaurateurs and waiters do not always know everbody's faces but all journalists know each other at least by sight.

←

This happened to me shortly after Gaya Rive Gauche reopened and a food critic went around the room naming off all the other critics and a couple of intellectuals as well. Herds (or is it swarms) are alive and well (altho technically it's worships of writers and shrivels of critics).

[42390]

Was just wondering which celebrities/famous people you've seen when you've been out for a meal in France. Where was it at?

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I saw Andy Rooney at Relais Louis XIII one time. To keep it on food, he ordered turbot and vanilla millefeuille. He was cranky with the waiters, kept asking for a half bottle of the cheapest wine on the list after they repeatedly told him it only came in full bottles.

[Felice]

I saw Audrey Tatou at the café le Sancerre in the 3rd and Keanu Reeves at Le Grand's wine bar.

As for food celebrities, I have waited on Yves Camdeborde and Enrico Bernardo, both at Fish.

[julot-les-pinceaux]

At Jamin, Pudlowski and Peyrot having lunch together and we joined their table in the end.

[John Talbott]

Robert Duvall at the Violin d'Ingres struggling (quite well really) with the menu (Catherine was not around but his "handler" was). William Ledeuil at Epigramme with one (?) of his kids.

[PhilD]

Jacques Chirac, wife daughters and the odd husband enjoying lunch at La Veranda. A restaurant owned by an Englishman and (then) recently slated by the French media - clearly a man who makes his own mind up.

[roosterchef21]

Only time I saw someone "famous" in a restaurant was at Isami, where Julie Andrieu had dinner at the counter where we were seated too.

I didn't know who she was at that time but my girlfriend recognized her instantly.

Why do you ask, by the way?

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Not really sure.... something to do I suppose! LOL!

[winemike]

Interestingly, a few years ago, I sat next to Mylene Farmer (the famous French singer) in a Japanese restaurant in Paris (cannot even remember the name) but what was funny is that I mentioned to my (back then) girlfriend that my "neighbour" was a really good looking girl... to which she replied "yeah... and she's famous too"... only then have I realised who she was. I'm not a fan of the singer but, wow, she's good looking!... Anyway, I remember the okonomi yaki better than the singer

[pierre45]

Robert Duvall at the Violin d'Ingres struggling (quite well really) with the menu (Catherine was not around but his "handler" was).  William Ledeuil at Epigramme with one (?) of his kids.

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Actually we spoke with him and asked him why he came to l'epigramme.

Do you remember his answer?

[John Talbott]

Robert Duvall at the Violin d'Ingres struggling (quite well really) with the menu (Catherine was not around but his "handler" was).  William Ledeuil at Epigramme with one (?) of his kids.

←

Actually we spoke with him and asked him why he came to l'epigramme.

Do you remember his answer?

←

No. What?

[Dave Hatfield]

I once stood by and chatted with Maurice Chevialier for about 15 minutes in a tosca in old town Madrid. Can't remember which tapas we had.

Needless to say this was a long time ago. Even John was a youngster back then.

Does this count? There's a French connection and a food connection.

[hughw]

This dates me, but newly married, my wife's grandparents tok us to Grand Colbert in 1967. Sitting at the adjacent table was Rex Harrison, famous at that time for My Fair Lady. No. We didn't ask him to sing, and I don't recall what he was eating,

[fresh_a]

Simon at Le Cinq..

[fresh_a]

and a few years back I actually urinated next to John Malkovich in the Manray.. (he was talking into his cell phone : "They just don't understand me"..