Maurice Bernachon
{{Short description|French chocolatier}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Maurice Bernachon
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = July 1919
| birth_place = Saint-André-le-Gaz, France
| death_date = 18 September 1999 (aged {{age|1919|7|1|1999|9|18}})
| nationality = French
| occupation = Chocolatier
| known_for =
}}
Maurice Bernachon (July 1919, Saint-André-le-Gaz – 18 September 1999, Lyon) was a master chocolatier and founder of the Bernachon family business.{{cite web
|url=http://www.guichetdusavoir.org/viewtopic.php?t=21646
|title=Histoire de Bernachon
|date=January 31, 2007
|publisher=Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon
|access-date=August 10, 2014
}}.
Biography
The son of a signalman, Bernachon started an apprenticeship as pâtissier in Pont-de-Beauvoisin at 12 years of age.{{cite book
|author=Serex, Anthony
|title=Dictionnaire de Lyon: Petit Futé
|year=2012
|isbn=9782746965232
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kBSjnSc0wUQC&q=Maurice+Bernachon%2C&pg=PT50
|access-date=August 10, 2014
}}. In 1975 he created the Président, a cake creation to celebrate the admission to the French League of Honor of Paul Bocuse by then-president of France Valéry Giscard d'Estaing{{Snd}}a cake that made him famous.Katherine Khodorowsky & Hervé Robert (2009) Tout sur le Chocolat Odile Jacob. Google books identifier [https://books.google.com/books?id=F5xwAwAAQBAJ&q=Maurice+Bernachon F5xwAwAAQBAJ] Accessed on 10 August 2014.
He was one of the few French chocolatiers who would entirely manufacture their own chocolate from raw cocoa, imported variously from Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil and Equatorial Guinea.{{cite book
|language=fr
|author=Bernard Pivot
|title=L'hommage de Bernard Pivot à Jean-Jacques Bernachon
|publisher=Lyon People
|date=April 21, 2011
|url=http://www.lyonpeople.com/les-gens/lhommage-de-bernard-pivot-a-jean-jacques-bernachon-2011-04-21.html
|access-date=August 10, 2014 }}.Auzias, Dominique & Labourdette, Jean-Paul (2013) Guide de l'amateur de chocolat . Petit Futé. Google books identifier [https://books.google.com/books?id=Kcfa4_XRldEC&q=maurice+bernachon&pg=PT212 Kcfa4_XRldEC] Accessed on 10 August 2014.
He retired in 1997, leaving the management of his chocolate business to his son Jean-Jacques (1944–2010), husband to Françoise, the daughter of Paul Bocuse.
The business is currently run by Philippe and Stéphanie Bernachon, the children of Françoise and Jean-Jacques.
Bibliography
- Bernachon, Maurice & Bernachon, Jean-Jacques (1985) La passion du chocolat. Flammarion. 117 pages. Google books identifier e9z2AAAACAAJ. Accessed on 10 August 2014.
- Deligeorges, Stéphane (2009) Le chocolat selon Bernachon. Glénat. 246 pages. Google books identifier tniQgAACAAJ. {{ISBN|9782723464673}}. Accessed on 10 August 2014.