Jean Luc Petitrenaud the Iconic Culinary Journalist Passes Away at 74

Jean-Luc Petitrenaud, a renowned culinary journalist known for his television programs "Carte postale Gourmande" and "Les escapades de Petitrenaud," passed away on Friday in Paris at the age of 74, as announced by his children. He died surrounded by loved ones, according to his children, Louise and Antonin Petitrenaud, who thanked those who cherished him throughout the years. His death comes three weeks after the passing of Maïté, another icon of television cooking, who died at the age of 86.

With his silver hair, small glasses, and elegant suits, Jean-Luc Petitrenaud presented the show "Carte postale Gourmande" on the public channel France 5 from 2000 to 2006, followed by "Les escapades de Petitrenaud" from 2006. He decided to retire from the program in 2017, citing fatigue. On the radio, he notably hosted "Le bistrot du Dimanche" on Europe 1 from 1998 to 2014. In the early 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century, he also wrote food reviews for L'Express.

Originally from Clermont-Ferrand, Jean-Luc Petitrenaud trained in his youth as a kettle maker, and was a specialized teacher who also took clown lessons at the Annie Fratellini Circus School. He later devoted himself to cooking and authored several books. In his memoir "Bienvenue chez moi," published in 2016, he wrote: "Stuck in the kitchen, we secretly watched the circle of pots that defined the dinner." He continued: "On Sunday evenings, we ended up with greasy rice that adorned the roast beef from lunch. Ah! That crispy rice, seasoned with butter, that sings in the mouth." Like his grandmother Louise: "Three times nothing, and heaven opens its doors."

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