Marcus Samuelsson's Heartwarming Birthday Message For Jacques Pépin

Few chefs have had an impact as large and long-lasting as that of Jacques Pépin, who turned 87 on December 18, 2022. According to PBS, he was drawn to chefs by the dozen women in his family who ran restaurants. In the almost 74 years since he left his mother's kitchen, he's been guiding cooks toward better food and innovative techniques.

That first stop in his career was a formal apprenticeship which he began at a mere 13 years old, according to his own website. His military service landed him in the kitchens of French heads of state.

In 1959, he came to the U.S. and landed in one of the most important restaurants in the country, Le Pavillon, per Westword. Howard Johnson then plucked Pépin from the world of fine dining into his iconic casual restaurants. That departure from high-end cuisine seems to have set him on a path that has paid massive dividends to all cooks. Especially cooks with a desire to learn new techniques and hone their skills.

He authored his first book out of more than 30 in 1967. His tome, "La Technique,” is the highlight. This book endures as a resource for chefs and a great place for home cooks to begin. This beloved book has become a textbook for anyone wanting to know how to cook. 

His generosity in sharing his skills also led to numerous television programs, starting in 1982, that have earned him numerous Emmys, James Beard Awards, and the appreciation of generations of cooks.

It's no surprise that Pépin's birthday wishes are coming from far and wide, including from Chef Marcus Samuelsson.

Samuelsson has followed in many of Pépin's footsteps, including owning award-winning and world-renowned restaurants, being named the youngest three-star chef by New York Times' critics, and cooking for heads of state like President Barack Obama. He even shares James Beard awards and TV shows on PBS with the legendary chef.

Samuelsson's tweet acknowledges the continued lifelong impact his "dear friend" has had on the culinary arts, as well as his impact on his own career.

The Jacques Pépin Foundation's Instagram offers similar adoration while giving us a peek at some of his family and occasional cooking costars, including his daughter Claudine.

Create TV is highlighting his cooking programs to celebrate. You can find their schedule in their tweet honoring Pépin.

Thankfully, we can expect more from Pépin. He'll continue to teach and inspire the next generation of generous culinary teachers in new ways, like his playful banter with a creator on YouTube. When asked about retirement in The Washington Post he responded with, "Retire from what? Retire from doing what I love? Retire from cooking?"