World star, restaurateur and wine grower

Gérard Depardieu has been one of the figureheads of European film since the beginning of the 80s. Depardieu, “Ikarus” guest chef in August, likes nothing better than spending his rare free weekends in Paris at the stove.

During his career Depardieu, who comes from Chateauroux in France, has had over 70 starring roles, including both film classics and box office hits, among them "Cyrano de Bergérac", "The Last Metro" and "Asterix and Obelix". As a character actor, Depardieu has achieved almost everything possible; he has already won all the most important prizes of the film world. So it was not particularly surprising that this restless actor should turn his attention to a new art. Not music, not painting, but cookery has provided the balance to his life in film and theatre.

Owning his own restaurant was always a dream of his, and in 2003 that dream was fulfilled, when Depardieu opened "La Fontaine Gaillon" not far from the Paris Opéra. This elegant restaurant offers the classics of French cuisine, from blanquette of veal to mussels in white wine to rib of beef with bearnaise sauce. The wine list also features Depardieu’s own wines: Château de Tigné is the name of his vineyard on the Loire, and the place where he has made his home.

Today, the kitchen of the restaurant is a home from home for Depardieu, who is constantly working and travelling. He likes nothing better than spending his rare free weekends in Paris at the stove. Together with his chef de cuisine Laurent Audiot, this passionate connoisseur busies himself with the fine details of new dishes for the restaurant menu, or simply cooks for friends. The recipes for his cookery book, “My Cookbook”, which appeared in 2004, were also created here. His cooking style is influenced by French and Italian cuisine. Why? Because this is the food he most enjoys eating. Depardieu follows his own path and is not to be led astray into “nouvelle cuisine” or the influences of the present fashion for fusion cookery.

His promise to come and cook in the Ikarus Restaurant also came about in a very spontaneous manner. Depardieu had a speaking role in Hector Berlioz’s “Symphonie fantastique” which was being performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under Riccardo Muti at the 2007 Festival, and travelled to Salzburg in his private aircraft, landing more or less directly in Hangar-7. The concept of fine cooking, bars and a museum impressed the actor as much as did Roland Trettl’s recipes. At the “Chief’s Table” in the kitchen of the Ikarus, which is reserved for special guests, not only did Depardieu enjoy several dinners, but there also ensued a lively exchange of cooking philosophies between him and the Executive Chef of the Ikarus Restaurant. And certainly also a bond of sympathy between the two men, for they are to spend a certain period of time cooking together in August.