French gastronomy has just lost one of its most unique faces. At the age of 44, died of cancer on July 4, 2026, chef Bertrand Grébaut, at the head of Septime in Paris, leaves behind much more than a starred restaurant. Telling his story is measuring the extent to which a table on rue de Charonne was able to shake up an entire city.
From 2011, his duo with Théophile Pourriat installed Septime at the heart of the new Parisian gastronomy: precise, very plant-based cuisine, served in a relaxed room, far from the gold of palaces. For many chefs, sommeliers and customers, this address was not only a difficult reservation to land, but the symbol of another way of experiencing haute cuisine. How did this discreet chef, with a background in graphic design and graffiti, end up lastingly changing the Parisian table?
The disappearance of Bertrand Grébaut and the shock for the culinary scene
Died on July 4, 2026, at the age of 44, from cancer, Bertrand Grébaut leaves a huge void in the 11th arrondissement and well beyond. His death affects an entire generation of cooks and restaurateurs for whom Septime was not just a restaurant, but a landmark. A chef not inclined to the star system, he rarely appeared in the spotlight, preferring to concentrate on taste, the consistency of the dishes and the quality of life of his teams.
Around him, a real ecosystem has been built: loyal brigades, committed suppliers, a clientele ready to cross Paris for lunch. His disappearance is a reminder of the extent to which his influence was due as much to his high standards as to his more horizontal way of leading, where the leader did not place himself alone at the center of the story.
From Ferrandi to Septime, a unique journey serving plants
Before the kitchen, Bertrand Grébaut was destined for graphic design and came from the world of graffiti. At the start of his twenties, however, he decided to change his life and joined the Ferrandi school, from which he graduated top of his class in 2006. He then worked at the Hôtel Scribe, the kitchens of Joël Robuchon, then joined L’Arpège with Alain Passard, a founding experience which anchored his attention to plants, the seasons and intuition.
And then there was L’Agapé, where he took charge of the kitchen and very quickly won a Michelin star, being one of the youngest starred chefs in the country. With this recognition, he left this more traditional setting to open, in April 2011, Septime rue de Charonne, with Théophile Pourriat. The restaurant won a Fooding prize in 2012, then a Michelin Guide star in 2014, confirming the importance of this address in the neo-bistro movement.
Septime and its houses, a new way of experiencing Parisian gastronomy
With , Bertrand Grébaut and Théophile Pourriat refuse to copy the great historic houses. They imagine a place where you can eat very seriously without rigid codes: relaxed service, raw but neat room, large space given to live wines. The cuisine focuses on vegetables, seasonal products, clean acidities and just-cooked cooking, without heaviness or spectacular effects. We come there for a demanding but never intimidating, almost daily experience.
The duo then deploys a whole set of complementary houses: , a wine bar which extends the liquid menu of the restaurant, around the sea and raw products, for pastry, then in Perche, in Rémalard, where time, the garden and fire structure the plate. Everywhere, the same idea: trust the products, create accessible places in their minds and promote the teams. For many observers, it is this conviction that a cuisine can be ambitious without being distant, precise but warm, which constitutes Bertrand Grébaut’s greatest legacy.
Who was chef Bertrand Grébaut?
Bertrand Grébaut was a French neo-bistro chef, who worked in graphic design before joining Ferrandi. Major in his class, trained with Alain Passard, he directed L’Agapé then founded Septime in Paris.
What did Bertrand Grébaut, head of Septime, die of?
Chef Bertrand Grébaut died at the age of 44, on July 4, 2026, from cancer. His death had a profound impact on the Parisian gastronomic scene.
What is the Septime restaurant in Paris?
Septime is a Parisian restaurant in the 11th arrondissement, opened in 2011. It offers contemporary, very plant-based cuisine, received a Michelin star in 2014 and embodies the new Parisian gastronomy.
What other addresses had Bertrand Grébaut created?
With Théophile Pourriat, Bertrand Grébaut developed several establishments: Septime La Cave, Clamato, Tapisserie and the Auberge D’une Île dans le Perche, all linked by the same spirit of demanding and relaxed cuisine.
