Thierry Rautureau (1959-2023) was born in France, where he apprenticed as a chef before moving to the United States at age 20. In Seattle, he became the chef and owner of Rover’s Restaurant in 1987 and later became the owner and chef of restaurants Luc and Loulay Kitchen & Bar. He won many awards including a James Beard Award and France’s Chevalier de l’Ordre Du Mérite Agricole. Rautureau also hosted the KIRO radio show Seattle Kitchen (now known as Hot Stove Radio) along with Chef Tom Douglas. Rautureau was known for wearing a fedora given to him by his wife, Kathleen Encell-Rautureau, earning him the nickname “the Chef in the Hat.”

Here, Rautureau is photographed preparing a plate of duck confit with foie gras for the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala. Rautureau was among 16 chefs who donated their time and expertise to create dishes for the event.

Caption information source: “Noted chefs get cooking on March of Dimes gala,” by Susan Phinney, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 19, 1994, page C1.