French chef Jacques Pépin's wife Gloria dies at 83 leaving him 'overcome with grief' at the loss of his 'strong, resilient' partner of 54 years
The wife of famous French chef Jacques Pépin, Gloria, has died at the age of 83.
The pair had been married for 54 years and had a daughter together, Claudine.
'She passed peacefully in her own bed in Madison, CT with Jacques, her daughter Claudine, her son-in-law Rollie, her granddaughter Shorey, close friends Tom Hopkins and Reza Yavari, and her beloved pup Gaston, by her side,' said a statement which was posted to the chef's Facebook page.
'We are overcome with grief, but Gloria was a fighter: a strong, resilient, 'spill-no-tears' woman. She would no doubt urge us to get on with living our lives and continue to do the work we were meant to do,' the statement continued. 'In lieu of flowers, Gloria wished condolence gifts should be made to the food insecurity or animal welfare charity of your choice.'
Jacques Pépin said his wife Gloria died on Saturday with her family by her side
The pair had been married for 54 years and had a daughter together, Claudine
In the 1970s, the couple opened La Potagerie ,a small soup restaurant on 5th Avenue, between 45th and 46th street, in New York City
In the very final social media post before Gloria's passing, 84-year-old Pépin shared a video in which he said he was making 'one of Gloria's favorites.'
The lengthy social media statement told of Jacques and Gloria's enduring love story reports.
'The story of Gloria and Jacques' meeting is quite infamous. He was a ski instructor at Hunter Mountain in New York. In spite of being an excellent skier on the ski patrol, Gloria signed up for ski lessons to spend time with the handsome Frenchman. She recalled, 'He was so cute, I thought he was probably gay,'' the statement read.
The pair got married in 1966 with their daughter Claudine born the following year.
'In all that time, they made sure to sit at the table every night for dinner, enjoying their meal and a glass of wine, intentionally reaffirming their marriage and their love. With Sinatra or Aznavour singing, they would sometimes spontaneously dance after dinner (as long as Jeopardy! was over),' the statement continued.
In the very final social media post before Gloria's passing, 84-year-old Pépin shared a video in which he said he was making 'one of Gloria's favorites'
There are currently no funeral plans although a celebration of her life is planned for next year
Gloria will be remembered as 'stately, dignified and classically elegant'.
The couple opened La Potagerie, a small soup restaurant on 5th Avenue, between 45th and 46th street, in New York City, in 1970.
'Gloria was his partner, his strength, his rock,' the statement read.
The couple faced a near-tragedy in 1974 after Jacques got into a 'debilitating car accident.'
'Gloria showed her immense strength and resilience when, with limited resources, she nursed Jacques back to health,' the statement continued.
Chef Jacques Pépin's is pictured alongside his wife, Gloria, left and his mother
The couple are pictured in another shot from their younger years
'For many years, though they lived on a tight budget, Gloria always had an appreciation for the beautiful and finer things in life,' the statement read. 'She loved caviar, champagne and foie gras (she preferred a cold terrine to sautéed.) Yet as Jacques earned fame, she was never pretentious and typically added ice to her wine.'
'She worshiped the sun and warmth. They wintered for years in Playa del Carmen, Mexico and later on Amelia Island in Florida. At least once each year they would sail on Oceania Cruises to someplace warm and delicious,' the statement continued. 'We know that Gloria has now found a place of place full of sun and warmth and love in many hearts.'
There are currently no funeral plans, due to coronavirus concerns, but according to her request there will be a gathering with all of her friends to mark her birthday next June.
Gloria will be remembered as 'stately, dignified and classically elegant', a statement read