‘World’s best chef’ Benoit Violier dies aged 44
From BBC News.
Mr Violier, 44, ran the Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville in Crissier, near the city of Lausanne.
It earned three Michelin stars and came top in France’s La Liste ranking of the world’s 1,000 best eateries.
Swiss police said Mr Violier, who was born in France, appeared to have shot himself.
The Swiss news website 24 Heures said (in French) that Mr Violier had been due to attend the launch of the new Michelin guide in Paris on Monday.
His death comes only months after that of Philippe Rochat, his mentor and predecessor at the Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville, who fell ill while cycling.
Having worked at the restaurant since 1996, Mr Violier took it over along with his wife Brigitte in 2012, later obtaining Swiss nationality.
A keen hunter, he was known for signature dishes including game and produced a weighty book on game meat last year.
The restaurant’s menus ranged from a quick lunch menu at 195 Swiss francs ($191; £134) to a “discovery” set menu priced at 380 Swiss francs.