Leading Ladies of World Cuisine 2004
Lea Linster
Restaurant Lea Linster
Frisange, LuxembourgClick here for the master chef menu
The only female ever to have won the prestigious Bocuse d'Or, Léa Linster is one of Luxembourg 's best known chefs.
Her restaurant in Frisange has one star in the Michelin Guide, and won numerous awards a Golden Key from the ‘Gault et Milau' restaurant guide and the best wine and champagne list in “Consécration Gosset Célébris”.
Léa's food is based on traditional French cuisine, with an emphasis on quality ingredients direct from the source.
Léa will be hosted by Philippe Mouchel at the brasserie by Philippe Mouchel
The career Lea had first chosen had nothing to do with casseroles and ovens; she was studying law. But as soon as her father suggested that she take over the family restaurant, she dropped her studies and four months later she had a vocational training certificate in cooking. Lea knew her father wanted to have a really special restaurant and she did her utmost to make his dream come true. In 1982 he passed away and five years later the restaurant got a star in the Michelin guide. At this stage, Lea hadn't even got her Master's degree. The same year, Lea would become Luxembourg 's first Master Chef and in 1989, she became the world's first woman (and the only one to date) to get the Bocuse d'Or, the highest distinction of the great chefs.
To her, subtlety goes hand in hand with simplicity. She talks emotionally and enthusiastically about good food and wine, and the origins of her second restaurant which she opened in 1991 illustrate this. “When I was pregnant I would have a craving for ham, but I was unable to find any to satisfy me… This is how I decided to open a restaurant serving ham specialties.”
Lea's cooking talents are up to her international reputation. “Being hungry is a magical feeling… you cannot disappoint someone who's hungry,” she states. There are no barbaric names or never-ending descriptions on her menu. Things are simple yet divine. Lea Linster chooses the best ingredients and only uses the best part of them. She helps you rediscover the taste of sole, line-caught bass, foie gras, lamb or wild rabbit.
In 1999 Le ventured into town and opened a restaurant nest to Luxembourg station – a short lived adventure! “Thank goodness I also had some good experiences in town when I was working for Banque Luxembourg ,” she says. In fact, Lea was in charge of the Bank's restaurant for 1 year.
Today, she has just finished a cook book published by the German magazine “Brigitte”. The resounding success of the book was such that she has decided to have another go with the “Best of Lea Linster – chef” entirely written and edited by herself. Her charisma make her perfect for television where she dreams of having her own cookery show one day. But “all these projects will not distract me from my main purpose: the success of my restaurant in Frisance,” explains Lea..
No doubt her generosity and her energy will help her succeed in all her projects.
For more information on the Masters of Australian Food and Wine email Scott Webster scott@culinary.com.au
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