Paul bocuse

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Mère braziers

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Eugénie Brazier

French chef (1895–1977)

Eugénie Brazier (12 June 1895 – 2 March 1977), known as "la Mère Brazier", was a French chef who, in 1933, became the first person awarded six Michelin stars, three each at two restaurants: La Mère Brazier in the rue Royale, one of the main streets of Lyon, and a second, also called La Mère Brazier, outside the city. This achievement was unmatched until Alain Ducasse was awarded six stars with the publication of the 1998 Michelin Guide.

Born in La Tranclière in the French departement of Ain, near Lyon, Brazier was raised on a small farm, and entered domestic service in her teens. She learned to cook for her employers, and was taken on as a junior cook by the proprietor of a leading restaurant in Lyon. In 1921 she opened her own restaurant there, and having built the establishment into a nationally famous restaurant by the end of the decade, she opened a second in a converted chalet at the Col de la Luère in the foothills of the Massif Central above the city.

Brazier followed the traditions of Lyon's famous female cooks – the Mères

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Eugenie Brazier – Women Who Cook

There’s always a good time to celebrate a fabulous chef, and today we’re shining a spotlight on the remarkable Eugénie Brazier. While she may not be a household name, her legacy in the culinary world is nothing short of extraordinary. Brazier rose from modest beginnings to become the first woman to earn three Michelin stars and the first chef to hold six stars simultaneously.

Humble Beginnings

Eugénie Brazier, affectionately known as “La Mère Brazier,” was born in La Tranclière near Lyon and grew up on a small farm. From a young age, she was familiar with hard work, starting with tending pigs and horses. She began her culinary journey working as a cook in domestic service during her teenage years. Her talent in the kitchen quickly shone through, and she was soon taken on as a junior cook at a leading restaurant in Lyon. By 1921, she opened her own restaurant, La Mère Brazier, which rapidly became a symbol of Lyon’s culinary excellence.

Inspiration

Brazier’s approach to cooking was rooted in the traditions of

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Eugénie Brazier: The legendary 'mother of French cuisine'

Hemis/Alamy

Uneducated, a single mother and the first person ever to receive six Michelin stars, Eugénie Brazier was a tour de force. So why doesn't the world know about her?

With more restaurants per capita than any other French city and the home of Rue du Bœuf (the street with the most Michelin stars in the country), Lyon is France's undisputed gastronomic capital. And although the city has become synonymous with the name Paul Bocuse (1926-2018) – with five restaurants falling under the late chef's brand, and even Halles de Lyon – Paul Bocuse (an indoor food market) bearing his name – its culinary legacy began long before he rose to fame.

Known as "the mother of French cooking", Eugénie Brazier (or Mère Brazier) never completed primary school and was forced to leave home at 19 after becoming pregnant. Yet, by the time she turned 40, she was running two restaurants and was the most decorated chef in the world. In 1933, she would become the first person to receive six stars