Raymond Oliver; French Chef, Author

Raymond Oliver, 81, considered one of the greatest French chefs of the century and author of 26 books on cooking. In 1948, Oliver purchased one of the great Parisian restaurants, Le Grand Vefour, and turned it into an exclusive dining spot for celebrities such as politician Andre Malraux, actor Jean Cocteau and writer Colette. The restaurant earned Michelin’s prized third star five years after Oliver bought it. He ran it until his retirement at 75, after a terrorist bombing at the restaurant. With Guy Gerard, Jean-Claude Vrinat and Jacques Maniere, Oliver was one of the most highly regarded chefs of his era. He won several of France’s top honors, including Officer of the Legion of Honor. He was also a prolific writer. From 1953 to 1968, he played host to the country’s most popular television food program, “Art and Magic From the Kitchen.� A series of recorded recipes, “Cuisinorama,� sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Oliver defended French cuisine in lectures in the United States, Japan, South Africa and Iceland, but detested nouvelle cuisine, favoring the rich ingredients of food in his native Gascony. On Monday in Paris of undisclosed causes.