Born in Antibes, France in 1965, Le Bernardin Chef Eric Ripert began his relationship with food in the most formative of all kitchens; his grandmother's. Tasting, watching and learning at his grandmother's elbow, Ripert developed the Mediterranean palate that informs his cooking today. When the young chefs family moved to Andorra, just over the Spanish border, he expanded his repertoire to include Spanish flavors and ingredients, from fish to saffron. Even outside the home, he was a foodie. On holidays and birthdays, Ripert insisted his family travel to the very best restaurants so he could sample their menus. When the Riperts visited the legendary Cafe de Paris in Biarritz, Eric polished off an entire tasting menu, a half dozen a la carte items and a sampling of each of the Cafe's thirty-odd desserts.