This Thursday, December 26, the small town of Rion-des-Landes said goodbye to Maïté, an emblematic figure of French cuisine and the Landes region, who died on the night of December 20 to 21 at the age of 86. Nearly a thousand people, including his family, loved ones and many residents, gathered in front of the Saint-Barthélemy church to pay tribute to him. “She was adorable, always had a kind word, a woman with a big heart,” said an emotional resident.
A local and television icon
Proud ambassador of her region, Maïté, whose real name is Marie-Thérèse Ordonez, had marked generations with her traditional recipes and her outspokenness on the show The Kitchen of the Musketeers. She also opened two restaurants before retiring in her native Southwest. “It was our brand image, the little Landais. She brought light to our region,” said a resident. On her coffin, a photo of her in an apron recalled her love for gastronomy and sharing.
Farewells marked by music and gastronomy
The ceremony ended on a poignant note with the performance of a Gascon song, Estelle de la mâby the Basque singer Michel Etcheverry, friend of the deceased. A special request from his granddaughter touched those present: “Eat, sing, drink in his honor. Adishatz, Mamie,” she said. As a former France 3 collaborator pointed out, “the angels are going to have a blast”, a vibrant testimony worthy of this extraordinary personality.
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