The former personal cook of President François Mitterrand died in Brive

Danièle Mazet-Delpeuch’s journey inspired a film released in September 2012, “Les Saveurs du Palais”, with actress Catherine Frot in the title role.

It is on October 3, 2024, at the church of Chavagnac, near Terrasson (Dordogne), that the funeral of Danièle Mazet-Delpeuch, former personal cook of the President of the Republic François Mitterrand (1981-1995), will be held.

Renowned Périgord cook, who spread her passion for gastronomy throughout the world, she died on September 30, 2024, at the Brive hospital center (Corrèze), at the age of 82, as indicated by the daily newspaper Southwest on its website.

The general public discovered his life through the film “Les Saveurs du Palais”, directed by Christian Vincent, released in September 2012 and some scenes of which were filmed in Brive.

A journey that inspired a film

On screen, actress Catherine Frot plays Hortense Laborie, a renowned cook who lives in Périgord and who becomes, to her great surprise, responsible for the personal meals of the President of the Republic, played by academician Jean d’Ormesson.

This film is inspired by the journey of Danièle Mazet-Delpeuch. His business card bore the words “cook-raconteuse” and the name of his hamlet, La Borderie, near Terrasson, in the Dordogne, a land rich in truffles and culinary tradition.

Born in the Paris region, Danièle Mazet-Delpeuch, in a way, cut her teeth with her grandmother and her truffle casseroles.

In the 1970s, she organized “foie gras weekends” for guests from all over the world.

In 1982, she left for the United States where she spent five years, teaching classes in culinary schools.

It was his conception of “comforting cuisine”, close to family cooking, but more elaborate, which made his reputation and which earned him, in 1988, the chance to take charge of the kitchens at the Élysée, as as François Mitterrand’s personal cook. The adventure will last two years.

A taste of adventure

The life of Danièle Mazet-Delpeuch is not limited to this extraordinary mission, mentioned in a book Cooking notebooks, from Périgord to the Elysée, ppublished in 1997. For years, she traveled the world to share her know-how, going so far as to create a truffle farm in New Zealand.

This taste for adventure went hand in hand with a deep attachment to the hamlet of La Borderie and to this land between Dordogne and Corrèze. Of the Brive market, she said without hesitation: “In France, I don’t know a more beautiful one.”