Eric Ripert Signs With PBS To Do Avec Eric

Eric Ripert, the internationally recognized chef of Le Bernardin restaurant in New York and frequent guest judge on Bravo's "Top Chef," will star for the first time in his own TV series, called "Avec Eric," debuting nationally in the fall on PBS.

Ripert and Le Bernardin have received numerous accolades, earning the highest ratings possible from the New York Times, the Michelin Guide and Zagat.

Ten episodes of "Avec Eric," distributed by American Publication Television, are scheduled to run in the fall.

Eric Ripert was raised in France and learned to cook at a young age from his grandmother. When he was young, his family moved to Andorra. He later returned to France and attended culinary school in Perpignan. In 1982 he moved to Paris where he worked for two years at La Tour d'Argent, a famous restaurant more than 400 years old. Ripert next worked at Jamin and was soon promoted to Assistant Chef de Partie. In 1985 Ripert left to fulfill his military service, after which he returned to Jamin as Chef Poissonier.

In 1989 he moved to the United States and was hired as a sous chef in the Watergate Hotel's Jean Louis restaurant. He stayed for two years before moving to New York City in 1991 to work for David Bouley. He stayed for just a few months before being offered a job at Le Bernardin. In 1994, Ripert became Le Bernardin's executive chef after Gilbert Le Coze died unexpectedly of a heart attack. The following year, Ripert earned a four-star rating from the New York Times, and in 1996 he became a part-owner. In the Michelin Guide NYC 2006, Ripert's Le Bernardin was one of four New York City restaurants to be awarded the maximum 3 Michelin stars for excellence in cuisine.

If his name isn't familiar, you may remember him from his appearances on "Top Chef". He also was a guest on Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations", where they both worked the cook line in Anthony's old workplace at Les Halles.

Eric will follow in another famous French chef on PBS, Jacques Pepin.