What is Alain Ducasse's Net Worth?
Alain Ducasse is a French-born Monégasque chef and restaurateur who has a net worth of $10 million. Alain Ducasse runs several restaurants, notably Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London, both of which hold three Michelin stars. He also has various restaurants in France, Japan, Qatar, and the United States, among other countries. In addition to his work as a chef and restaurateur, Ducasse has written cookbooks and opened cooking schools.
Early Life and Education
Alain Ducasse was born on September 13, 1956 in Orthez, France. He was educated on a farm in nearby Castel-Sarrazin. At the age of 16 in 1972, Ducasse began apprenticeships at the Pavillon Landais restaurant in Soustons and the Bordeaux hotel school.
Career Beginnings
Following his apprenticeships, Ducasse worked at chef Michel Guérard's restaurant in Eugénie-les-Bains. During the summer, he worked for pastry chef Gaston Lenôtre. In 1977, Ducasse began working as an assistant under chef Roger Vergé at the Moulin de Mougins.
Chef and Restaurateur
Ducasse landed his first chef's position in 1980 when he began working at L'amandier in Mougins. The next year, he became head chef at La Terrasse in Juan-les-Pins. Later, in 1986, Ducasse joined the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, where he opened his flagship restaurant, Le Louis XV, in the spring of 1987. Challenged by Prince Rainier III of Monaco to earn three Michelin stars within four years, Ducasse did just that when Le Louis XV won three Michelin stars in just under three years. The restaurant held its rating for seven consecutive years before losing a star and gaining it back a few times; since 2003, it has remained at three stars. Le Louis XV has consistently been ranked among the best restaurants in the world. Ducasse also earned three Michelin stars for Essex House in New York City, which opened in 2000 and closed in 2007. In the latter year, he opened Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London, which went on to earn three Michelin stars in 2010.
Ducasse's restaurants to be awarded two Michelin stars have included Restaurant Le Meurice in Paris, Beige in Tokyo, and Alain Ducasse at Morpheus in Macau. For the bistro Benoit in Paris, he earned one Michelin star. Ducasse has additional Benoit locations in Tokyo, Kyoto, and New York City. Among his many other restaurants are Esterre, in Tokyo; Mix, in Las Vegas; Le Jules Verne, located in the Eiffel Tower in Paris; Tamaris, in Beirut; Rech by Alain Ducasse, in Hong Kong; and two restaurants in the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Beyond his restaurants, Ducasse prepared a multi-course gala dinner for the wedding of Charlene Wittstock and Prince Albert II of Monaco in the summer of 2011. This marked the first time he prepared an official meal for a head of state. Ducasse also prepared the post-celebration brunch for the following day. He has served as the chef at a number of other major events since then.
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Other Endeavors
Expanding beyond the culinary industry, Ducasse opened a 12-bedroom country inn in Provence in 1988 called La Bastide de Moustiers. He has also had financial interests in other hotels in Provence. Elsewhere, Ducasse has written cookbooks, opened cooking schools, and done consulting. He has had cooking schools for both the general public in Paris and for ADF chefs. Ducasse has also appeared on television, serving as a special guest on both the US and Italian versions of the reality cooking competition show "MasterChef."
Personal Life
Ducasse is married to Gwenaëlle Gueguen.
A French citizen by birth, Ducasse became a naturalized citizen of Monaco in 2008. He did this so he could take advantage of the city-state's tax rates. Because Monégasque people were disallowed from holding dual citizenship at that time, Ducasse had to relinquish his French nationality.
