A great culinary voice has died away. Maïté, her real name
Marie-Thérèse Ordonezdied on the night of Friday December 20 to Saturday December 21, 2024, at the age of 86
ansaccording to information from the site actu.fr.
The famous French cook, emblematic figure of
South-West gastronomydied in Rion-des-Landes, her native village located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
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Maïté: a television career that left its mark
It's thanks to the cooking show “The Kitchen of the Musketeers”broadcast on FR3 in the 1980s and 1990s, which Maïté gained national fame. With her outspokenness and her passion for local products, she has captivated millions of viewers, highlighting a
generous and rooted cuisine. Its duck breast hamburger remains one of the emblematic recipes, a bold nod to the fast-food giants.
Her television rise began almost by chance: in 1983, while a report was being filmed within the Rion-des-Landes rugby club, she was spotted by the production team. An unexpected turning point for the woman who then worked as an announcer at the SNCF, alerting railway workers with a trumpet.
A woman of many talents
Maïté has not limited herself to her television career. In her village, she founded two restaurants: “The Relais des Landes” in 1988 and later “Chez Maïté”which have become places of pilgrimage for lovers of gastronomy. These establishments have reinforced its status as guardian of the culinary traditions of the South-West.
But her palette didn't stop there: Maïté also made her film debut, starring in “The Fabulous Destiny of Madame Petlet” in 1995, some scenes of which were filmed in his village. Later she participated in the show
“The Celebrity Farm” on TF1, once again attracting a different audience.
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Maïté: personal trials and withdrawal from public life
Maïté's last years were marked by personal trials. In 2013, she lost her only son, Serge, who died of cancer. Two years later, in 2015, his restaurant
“Chez Maïté” was forced to close following judicial liquidation.
These events led her to gradually withdraw from public life, refusing interviews and media appearances.
His fight against illness and cancer
According to information reported by Actu.fr, Maïté suffered from a neurodegenerative disease which had considerably reduced her autonomy. She had lived for several years in an EHPAD in Rion-des-Landes, her hometown, where she was surrounded by her family.
Her daughter, Camille, confided in 2019 that Maïté preferred to enjoy her retirement away from the spotlight, devoting herself to her loved ones and a peaceful life. “She is doing well, she is enjoying her retirement and her family. She no longer wants to answer interviews or do television, it’s no longer her thing.”
