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Pierre Koffmann
Michelin-starred chef
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
He is closely associated with pig’s trotters, a dish that has become almost Pierre Koffmann’s name, but the work reads wider than a single emblem. In his own telling, the line runs through the women who cooked at home: “My mother and grandmother were both excellent cooks and they were the main people who inspired me,” he said. That domestic inheritance shows in the food: disciplined, warm, patient, and firmly grounded in French comfort, carried with restraint.
Coming Up
Pierre Koffmann trained at College d’Enseignement Technique Reffye at Tarbes before moving into the kitchens of London, a shift that placed French technique into a British professional context. From 1970, he worked as chef at Le Gavroche in Mayfair, London, United Kingdom, as the city’s fine-dining scene was beginning to harden into a serious trade. In 1972, he became head chef at The Waterside Inn in Bray, Berkshire, United Kingdom, continuing that pace in a different setting, where standards remained the measure. Then, in 1977, he opened his own chapter as chef and owner at La Tante Claire in Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London, United Kingdom, a role he held until 2003. The restaurant became the clearest expression of his style: exacting but never cold, rooted in tradition and attentive to detail. Later, he returned to prominence as head chef at Koffmann's at The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge, London, United Kingdom, from 2010–2016, bringing the work into a more modern frame without losing its link to the classic French canon beneath it.
Where They Are Now
His most recent listed kitchen role was head chef at Koffmann's at The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge, London. He described that restaurant as “a more relaxed, informal style, while still embracing my classic, provincial, French culinary roots.” The phrase fits a chef whose work has long balanced precision with generosity. Across his career, that balance has stayed constant: formality without rigidity, tradition without complacency.
Signature
Pierre's signature dishes include pig’s trotters, Pierre's Pistachio soufflé, coq au vin, and ragout d’abattis. They map the range of his cooking: the richness of the first, the lift of the second, and the classical French depth of the latter two. Taken together, they show a kitchen language that stays close to flavour and texture, with rustic and refined elements held in the same frame.
In Their Words “I like to cook the kind of food I like to eat. Koffmann’s at The Berkeley is a more relaxed, informal style, while still embracing my classic, provincial, French culinary roots.” “People will remember me for the pig’s trotters. It will be on my tombstone, but I feel I’ve done so much more.”
Honors
Pierre's honors include Three Michelin stars.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Pierre
Where did Pierre Koffmann train or study?
Pierre Koffmann trained at College d’Enseignement Technique Reffye at Tarbes.
What recognition has Pierre Koffmann received?
Three Michelin stars (1983).
