Timeline
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1935
Jacques is born, Bourg-en-Bresse, France.
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1949
Jacques begins his formal culinary apprenticeship.
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1956-1958
During his military service, Jacques serves as personal chef to three French heads of state.
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1959
Jacques comes to the United States to work at the restaurant Le Pavillon.
Meets Craig Claiborne, Julia Child and James Beard.
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1961
Howard Johnson hires Jacques to work alongside Pierre Franey to develop food lines for his chain of Howard Johnson's restaurants.
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1967
Jacques authors his first cookbook, “The other half of the Egg” with Helen McCully.
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1970
Jacques opened a specialty soup restaurant and lunch counter on Manhattan's 5th Avenue called La Potagerie.
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1974
Near fatal car accident near his home in upstate New York.
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1975
Jacques publishes, “A French Chef Cooks at Home.”
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1976
Jacques publishes, “La Technique” followed by “La Methode”
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1982
Jacques starred in “Every Day Cooking,” his first TV series.
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1982
Invited to be a Dean at the newly formed French Culinary Institute in New York City.
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1989
Created with Julia Child, a Culinary Certificate program at Metropolitan college, at Boston University.
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1991
Filmed Television series Today's Gourmet at KQED studios in San Francisco.
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1996
Filmed first of three series with daughter, Claudine – “Cooking with Claudine”.
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1997
Jacques launches PBS series, “Jacques Pépin's Culinary Techniques”.
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2001
Jacques and Julia Child receive a Daytime Emmy for “Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home”.
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2003
Jacques takes on Culinary Director at Oceania Cruises.
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2005
Jacques wins his 14th James Beard Foundation award for his lifetime of achievement.
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2011
“Essential Pépin” cookbook and companion video series filmed at KQED.
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2015
Jacques filmed “Heart and Soul in the Kitchen,” his 13th TV series with KQED.
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2015
Jacques was the first recipient of the Julia Child Award from The Julia Child Foundation.
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2016
Alongside his daughter, Claudine, and son-in-law, Rollie Wesen, Jacques launches the Jacques Pépin Foundation.
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2017
“The Art of the Craft” biographical documentary film on the life and career of Jacques released as part of the American Masters series.
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2019
Jacques Honored with a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award
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2020
Jacques publishes “Quick & Simple” and begins shooting short, individual recipe videos during the COVID 19 pandemic. The series is produced by the Jacques Pépin Foundation, and entitled “Jacques Pépin Cooking at Home”
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2021
Jacques and son-in-law Rollie Wesen create an on-line cooking course, “A Legacy of Technique”, with Rouxbe.com
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2022
Jacques published “Art of the Chicken”, a book featuring his artwork, stories from his life and recipes offered in narrative. It is a New York Times bestseller.
News
Celebrate Jacques' 90th Birthday Nationwide
Chill the Champagne and stock up on birthday candles, because Jacques is going to turn 90 next year! That's something to commemorate in and of itself, but the Jacques Pépin Foundation is planning to celebrate both the man and the mission of the Foundation.
Learn More