By chance when I walked past Chefs Christian Constant (wearing his signature suit vest jacket) and Yves Camdeborde having

lunch on a terrace...I was red-faced when I realized that I’d said, “Hi Christian!” instead of referring to him as “Chef” as one should.

Noting my embarrassment, Yves slapped him on the back beaming with pride, “It is okay Wendy… you can call him “Chevalier” now!”

That’d be “Sir” or “Knight” to you and me.

Chef Constant had just been awarded the highest honor of service in France the night before, pinned with the Ordre de Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (established by Napoleon Bonaparte), surrounded by his peers and legion of chefs he’s either trained or inspired called the “Constant Generation” such as Alain Senderens, Yves, Eric Frechon, Thierry Breton, Jean-Franҫois Piège and Christian Echtebest.

After many years holding the reins at the Crillon and Ritz, Christian left to pursue his own dreams of running a restaurant. He first opened the über-chic Le Violon d’Ingres in 1998 on the rue St. Dominique, eventually adding three more on each side of the Violon: Café Constant (French bistro), Fables of the Fountain (Seafood bistro) and Les Cocottes (contemporary counter service).

Although he just sold Les Fables de la Fontaine to David Bottreau and Sebastian Gravé – folks in town are still joking that the rue St. Dominique should be renamed rue Christian Constant.

A fun little known fact is that all three restos provide take-out service (with at least an hour’s notice) which if I lived nearby would be taking them up on a few times a week!

Congrats Chef and “Knight” Christian Constant…

Maison Constant, rue St. Dominique