# Marc Meneau
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{{Short description|French chef (1943–2020)}}
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{{Infobox chef
| name = Marc Meneau
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|3|16|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [Avallon](/source/Avallon), [Yonne](/source/Yonne), France
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|12|9|1943|3|15|df=yes}}
| death_place = [Auxerre](/source/Auxerre), France
| spouse =
| style =
| education =
| ratings = {{plainlist|
*[Michelin star](/source/Michelin_star)s {{Rating|2}} (former {{Rating|3}})
*[Gault et Millau](/source/Gault_et_Millau) (19/20)
}}
| restaurants = {{plainlist|
*''L'Espérance''
}}
| television =
| awards =
| website = {{URL|www.marc-meneau-esperance.com}}
}}
'''Marc Meneau''' (16 March 1943 – 9 December 2020) was a French chef, who earned three stars from the [Guide Michelin](/source/Guide_Michelin). He was the chef of the restaurant ''L'Espérance'' located in [Saint-Père, Yonne](/source/Saint-P%C3%A8re%2C_Yonne).
==Early life==
Meneau was born in [Avallon](/source/Avallon) on 16 March 1943.[{{cite news |title=Marc Meneau obituary |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/marc-meneau-obituary-32hvqt0m8 |access-date=18 December 2020 |work=[The Times](/source/The_Times) |date=18 December 2020}}]
A native of [Burgundy](/source/Burgundy), Meneau never really departed his native region. Going to [Strasbourg](/source/Strasbourg) in 1961 to join a hotel school, he then returned to take over the grocery store of his mother, Marguerite, located in Saint-Père in the town of [Vézelay](/source/V%C3%A9zelay). With the help of his wife Françoise (daughter of a Burgundian restaurant owner) and as a self-taught cooking chef, he transformed it into a restaurant and started inventing recipes which he published soon after. He was eager to learn and started looking at books of old cuisine chefs, which helped him develop into a famous chef specialized in old cuisine.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}
== Career ==
He received his first [Michelin star](/source/Michelin_star) in 1972 and decided to move his restaurant to a larger premises that he named ''L'Espérance''. In 1975 he received his second Michelin star. In 1983, he was elected the best French chef of the year (Meilleur Cuisinier Français de l'Année) and received a third Michelin star and the grade of 19/20 at the [Gault et Millau](/source/Gault_Millau). He planted 16 hectares of vine to give another life to the famous wine Bourgogne-Vézelay ([AOC](/source/Appellation_d'origine_contr%C3%B4l%C3%A9e)). However, he lost his third Michelin star in 1999.
In 2003, he created the EntreVignes, a [bistro](/source/bistro) opposite of his restaurant, an idea given by [Serge Gainsbourg](/source/Serge_Gainsbourg), who was familiar with the area. The in 2004, Marc Meneau finally got his third Michelin star back.
By 2007, Meneau had several financial problems and the bankruptcy of his business. This led to the [Michelin Guide](/source/Michelin_Guide) deleting his entry from its 2007 edition, assuming that the business of Marc Meneau was about to close. However, ''L'Espérance'' continued to trade and appeared again in the [Michelin Guide](/source/Michelin_Guide) with its two stars. In 2010, Marc Meneau planted his own [kitchen garden](/source/kitchen_garden), which is certified, in the park of his restaurant ''L'Espérance''.
==Death==
He died from [COVID-19](/source/COVID-19) during the [COVID-19 pandemic in France](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_France) on 9 December 2020.