Chef Bruno

Hometown

Besançon, France

Chef Bio

Born and raised in the eastern French town of Besançon, Chef Bruno began a chef’s apprenticeship at age sixteen. Two years later, he graduated first in his region, after which he worked in Burgundy, did a brief stint at Trader Vic’s in London, and then returned to France to work as a pastry chef at the world renowned Paul Bocuse Restaurant in Lyon. He continued his professional development at the famed Gaston Lenôtre Patisserie in Paris, after which he spent a season cooking on the French Riviera with global celebrity chef Alain Ducasse before emigrating to Orlando, Florida. There, he spent the next 23 years as a chef in various successfully acclaimed French restaurants such as Le Coq Au Vin before opening his own bakery & café, Bruno’s Gourmet Kitchen, which he ran for 9 years. Chef Bruno has won a total of 12 medals in American Culinary Federation sanctioned cooking competitions; 3 gold, 7 silver, 2 bronze. In his spare time, Ponsot enjoys gardening, playing guitar, tennis or the famed French card game “tarot”.

How long have you been working with Big City Chefs?

Since December 2019

If I were a spice, I would be…

Golden brown

My favorite local purveyors, artisans, and farmers:

Chef’s Warehouse

What I love about cooking and hospitality…

The dynamics, excitement, the satisfaction coming from creating something that generates pleasure to diners.

What are your top three go-to pantry items?

Kosher salt, kosher salt & kosher salt