The Auguste Escoffier Foundation, a recognized public utility, has been supported for years by loyal partners and sponsors: institutional, commercial and financial.
Founded in Nice in 1954 by Jean Ducroux, a former student of the renowned Auguste Escoffier, the Association des Disciples Escoffier has been perpetuating the legacy of the master of French haute cuisine for over seventy years. From the outset, the association's mission has been to bring together chefs, restaurant professionals, producers and gourmets from around the world around shared values: tradition, creativity, transmission and solidarity.
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Under the leadership of great Chefs such as Jean-Claude Guillon, Régis Marcon, Jean-Claude Biffi, Thierry Marx and today, Nicolas Sale, the Disciples Escoffier have grown in France and internationally, and now have more than 10,000 members in over 35 countries.
True to the spirit of Auguste Escoffier, founder of the ‘Ligue des Gourmands’ and ‘Dîners d'Épicure’, the Disciples continue his work by promoting a generous, humanistic and open-minded approach to gastronomy. Each chapter, each induction ceremony and each Jeunes Talents Escoffier competition reflects this desire to promote cuisine as an art of living and sharing.
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Through their charitable actions, events and international network, the Disciples Escoffier maintain a living link between tradition and modernity, driven by a spirit of conviviality and excellence: the Escoffier Spirit..
Founded 35 years ago, Les Grands Buffets restaurant has become, through constant improvement, a veritable conservatory of traditional French cuisine. At Les Grands Buffets, we offer more than 150 starters, main courses and desserts inspired by Auguste Escoffier's Guide Culinaire, published in 1903. This is the world's largest repertoire of the Master's cuisine offered in a restaurant, making Les Grands Buffets the greatest showcase for Auguste Escoffier's cuisine.
The Auguste Escoffier Foundation and Les Grands Buffets de Narbonne have sealed an exceptional partnership aimed at promoting Escoffier's culinary heritage. Louis Privat, founder of Les Grands Buffets, says he is honoured to see his establishment recognised as a showcase for the famous chef's cuisine. This collaboration focuses on enhanced communication to raise awareness of Auguste Escoffier among the general public, notably through a redesign of the décor, a themed tour, and the highlighting of recipes from the Guide Culinaire.
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The agreement also provides for the loan of iconic works, such as a duck press from La Tour d'Argent and a silver slicing trolley, now on display at the Escoffier Museum of Culinary Art.
Loan of collector's items from the Grands Buffets:
Duck press from Maison Cailar Bayard
used for preparing duck in blood sauce.
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Silver-plated bronze duck press with a rectangular base with rounded corners, topped with a base featuring elephant feet and heads. This piece supports the duck press, concealed behind two hinged doors that complete the ensemble.
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Similar to the one used at Les Grands Buffets, the only restaurant in France to offer duck cooked rare on its menu at every service.
Silver-plated metal carving trolley
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Fitted with a domed cover that reveals the cutting board, it has external receptacles also made of silver-plated metal and a leg shelf. This rare model has a heated tray (a stopper allows hot water to be added).
Although unsigned, it is similar to the creations of Christofle in Paris. It rests on an elegant curved base.
This trolley dates from the second half of the 20th century and was used in grand houses and palaces.
Bernard Pras's anamorphosis:
To celebrate the Master as he deserves at Les Grands Buffets, Louis Privat, a great art lover, asked visual artist Bernard Pras, world-renowned for his anamorphoses, to create a portrait of Auguste Escoffier.
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Bernard Pras assembled numerous objects and kitchen utensils to recreate, using his astonishing personal technique, the portrait of Auguste Escoffier, which will now welcome the establishment's many customers. No fewer than 395,000 people travel from all over France and abroad each year to enjoy this exceptional culinary experience.
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Louis Privat has donated an exceptional reproduction of the work to the Auguste Escoffier Foundation. It is print no. 1/8, a silver gelatin photograph mounted on Diasec in 120 x 160 cm format. This portrait now occupies a place of honour in the room dedicated to the humanist side of the great chef.
Since its founding, long before the opening of its schools, our partnership with the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts has been based on a shared vision: to develop excellence, respect for culinary traditions, and innovation in the culinary arts.
Founded under the prestigious name of Auguste Escoffier, these establishments, located in Boulder, Colorado, and Austin, Texas, perpetuate the legacy of the ‘King of Chefs’ by combining classic know-how, technical rigour, and contemporary creativity.
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The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is recognised as the best culinary school in the world for 2025 according to Cozymeal, illustrating its international reputation and high level of teaching. Its varied programmes – culinary arts, pastry, food entrepreneurship, plant-based programme, hospitality management, holistic nutrition and wellness – offer students a full spectrum of skills.
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What sets the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts apart is its Farm to Table® approach, its commitment to sustainability, and its training by practising chefs with real-world experience in the restaurant industry. The low student-to-teacher ratio promotes personalised support, which is essential for cultivating independence, precision, and passion.
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This school offers its students privileged access to these resources: highly qualified teachers, refined techniques, an international network and training that goes beyond cooking, incorporating management, entrepreneurship and environmental responsibility.
The relationship forged with the Auguste Escoffier Foundation, even before the school opened its doors, is a testament to our mutual trust and shared ambition: to train the chefs of tomorrow, capable of combining tradition and innovation, transmission and high standards. We are proud to walk side by side with the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts to promote the culinary arts with passion, rigour and humanity.
Les Amis d'Escoffier Society
Founded at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York in 1936 by a group of gourmets – including many former students of the great Auguste Escoffier – the Les Amis d'Escoffier Society of New York, Inc. has become the largest gastronomic society in the country. Its members include chefs, hotel managers, restaurateurs and business leaders, all united by a shared passion: to perpetuate the excellence of haute cuisine.
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A non-profit organisation, the Les Amis d'Escoffier Society Foundation is committed to preserving the standards of haute cuisine established by Escoffier and supporting the training of young chefs through scholarships. The society also cultivates the art of gastronomy and wine by organising exceptional dinners that are true celebrations of taste, classic preparation, refined presentation and traditional service.
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A partner for many decades, the society embodies the values of excellence, sharing and transmission that unite us around Escoffier's legacy: to promote haute cuisine and the spirit of conviviality throughout the contemporary world.
Les Dames d'Escoffier International
Les Dames d'Escoffier International is a global organisation dedicated to the empowerment of women in the food, beverage and hospitality industries. Founded to promote professional excellence, leadership and philanthropy, LDEI encourages innovation, diversity and the continuous development of its members.
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Guided by strong principles—integrity, fairness, professional excellence—it works to create a lasting impact in the communities it touches. LDEI values training, mentoring and career advancement opportunities for all qualified women, regardless of their origin, culture or background.
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The organisation's history dates back to the 1970s, when Carol Brock decided to give women a greater voice and visibility in a largely male-dominated industry. Today, LDEI brings together chapters around the world, organising events, scholarships, awards and philanthropic initiatives.
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As a partner, Les Dames d'Escoffier International enriches our community with its network of expertise, social commitment and passion for excellence: an essential ally for those who aspire to transform the world of gastronomy and hospitality.