Chef Benoit Violier, who ran the world’s top-ranked eatery, Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville in Switzerland, has been found dead at his home, BBC News reported.
The 44-year-old’s restaurant near the city of Lausanne, earned three Michelin stars.
It was named the finest restaurant in the world in December by France’s La Liste – a restaurant rating initiative sanctioned by the Foreign Ministry and Tourism Board of France.
The rating led Violier to be dubbed ‘the world’s best chef’ by the media.
Swiss police said that Violier, who had been due to attend the launch of the new Michelin guide in Paris on Monday, appeared to have shot himself.
Born in Saintes, Charente-Maritime, France, Voilier went to Paris in 1991 to study and went to Switzerland at Restaurant de L’Hotel de Ville in 1996.
He took it over with his wife Brigitte in 2012 following his predecessor and mentor Philippe Rochat’s retirement.
Just last year, Rochat, died while cycling.
The L’Hotel de Ville menu features a lunch menu at 195 Swiss francs ($191) and a discovery set menu priced at 380 Swiss francs ($372).
Voilier’s most recent blog post was posted on 29 January and featured a story on the chef’s love of black truffles.
Violier’s death has been met with shock and confusion, with some commentators questioning whether the suicide is linked to the high-pressure nature of the restaurant world.
