Jean Montagard

About Jean Montagard

Winner of the Cointreau Cup from the HI’telier School of Nice, awarded to the top graduates of each class, Jean Montagard is the first chef to practice organic vegetarian cuisine.

He finished second in cooking at Cap Estel in Eze-sur-Mer and was Head Chef at the restaurant Le Chalet de France in Palos Verdes, Los Angeles, California from 1968 to 1970.

After having been a Chef and Cooking Teacher many times, he opened in 1978 the first vegetarian restaurant mentioned by Gault and Millau: “L’Artisan Gourmand.” He took the opportunity to launch a range of canned cooked dishes for the La Vie Claire stores and filed a patent for the cooking method of grains.

In the 2000s, after opening his restaurant “Montagard” in Alpes-Maritimes, Jean Montagard became an advisor in the agri-food sector for Petit Cuisinier with the Mulliez group. In 2003, he obtained a DESS in Culinary Arts from the University of Sophia Antipolis in Nice. He then worked continuously to promote organic and vegetarianism with the annual “Millançay Talks” and “Sologne Talks,” providing training within ADF (Alain Ducasse Formation) and for various training organizations (GRETA and others). He later became a partner and participant in the operation “strawberries in spring,” a challenge for the earth with the Nicolas Hulot Foundation.

Since 2009, he has been hosting for the Agence Bio at the Salon de l’Agriculture in Paris, which takes place once a year. He is also the current President of the association of students and alumni of the HI’telier School Paul Augier in Nice.