Patrice Olivon
Program Director of Culinary Arts at L'Academie de Cuisine

Patrice Olivon is part of a new wave of chefs taking cooking to exciting and dramatic new levels. Born in Casablanca and raised in Provence, Chef Patrice's culinary style is inspired by the cuisine of Southern France, emphasizing fresh, local ingredients.

Chef Patrice shines when he explains his craft to others— his charisma and culinary expertise draw in culinary students and audiences across the country. Currently the Program Director of Culinary Arts at L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Chef Patrice obtained his culinary degree from Ecole Hôtelière de Marseille, and then cooked at the renowned Negresco Hotel with Michelin two-star Chef Jacques Maximin. Relocating to Washington, DC in 1979, Chef Patrice first worked at Le Palais des Friandises and then was the sous chef at La Maison Blanche for twelve years. Chef Patrice achieved the position of Executive Chef of the Embassy of France and excelled there for twelve years. Chef Patrice also cooked at the White House for formal affairs, private parties, and daily meals, and in 1993, First Lady Hillary Clinton called upon Chef Patrice, along with the country's most talented chefs, to "Americanize" White House cuisine.

Chef Patrice uses humor, anecdotes, and charm to not only captivate students, but also television viewers and live audiences. On Food Network's competition series Food Fight, Chef Patrice and his French team won by a landslide. His team not only won the show's grand prize, but Chef Patrice won viewers' and television executives' attention. In 2006, Chef Patrice competed on Food Network's Iron Chef America with the former Executive Chef of the White House, Walter Scheib. Alton Brown nicknamed Chef Patrice the "Patrice-O-Matic" for his speed and culinary prowess - skills that helped the team win the battle against Iron Chef Cat Cora.

Chef Patrice's live cooking demonstrations are in high demand. He has appeared in two Smithsonian Folklife Festivals on the National Mall. In the Food Culture USA 2005 event, he, along with notable chefs Michel Richard, Patrick O'Connell, and Walter Scheib celebrated America's recent food revolution. In 2007, Chef Patrice demonstrated his passion for his adopted homeland, Virginia, with two cooking demonstrations in the Roots of Virginia Culture. His 2008 appearances include The Washington, D.C. International Food and Wine Festival, The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show, and the French Wine Society's premiere event -The Taste of France.

Chef Patrice readily shares his passion for the culinary arts and his innovative ideas about what it takes to truly cook like a professional chef... and he's showing no signs of slowing down.

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