Guillaume Gomez, chef of the French presidential palace in the past 25 years, announced on Wednesday he is leaving his post to fill a new role as the "personal representative" of the president to promote "French gastronomy," AFP said on Thursday.
On his Instagram account, the renowned French chef shared some pictures of him with the former French presidents Chirac, Sarközy, and current president Macron. "Twenty five years ago, I walked for the first time in these kitchens where I met President Jacques Chirac and started a job behind the stoves of the first French house. During these years, I served over two million meals to four presidents and 800 employees working at the palace. Twenty-five years of passionately bringing French excellence, traditions, and art of living to the highest level," wrote the chef, noting that he decided to leave the presidential kitchen and "keep serving his country in a different way."
Gomez started his work at the palace as sous-chef, and then became the top chef during the rule of Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarközy, François Hollande, and Emmanuel Macron. In the 500-meter kitchen, he coped with the culinary tastes of the four presidents who ruled successively since 1997.
As of March, he will serve as the "President's personal representative among the actors and networks of gastronomy and food, in order to promote the culinary arts of France."
Gomez got his new post after the "endorsement and confidence" of Emmanuel Macron as part of the decision to make 2021 "the year of French gastronomy" and to host a series of events such as the Paris Food Forum, the Rugby World Cup in 2023, and the Olympic Games in 2024. In his new post, Gomez will be affiliated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In an interview with AFP in 2018, the Spanish-born chef said: "My job is to promote the products of the French lands. We need to reeducate our children on how to improve their diet."
His successor is not revealed yet, but until appointing a new top chef, Gomez's assistants will be responsible for improving the menus served to the president, his guests, and 800 employees."