Jacques Gantier Chevalier
Honor ceremony in the National Order of Arts and Letters to Mr. Jacques Gantié
On October 24 at the Villa Massena, the insignia of Chevalier of the National Order of Arts and Letters were presented by the Mayor of Nice Mr Christian Estrosi to Mr Jacques Gantié in the presence of many guests. Born in 1947 in Agen (Lot-et-Garonne), Jacques Gantié has always been enamored with writing since after his literary studies, he turned naturally to journalism, a domain in where he showed throughout his career, whatever the media he worked for, rigor, curiosity, versatility and quality of style. These insignia of Knight of Honor that were awarded complement the rewards that have marked his career as the Prix de la Critique Gastronomique (1993), the National Prize for the best food critic (1998) or the price of the Daily Regional Press Award for his reporting on Montesquieu, Montaigne and Mauriac and a literature series on Jean Giono. He was also a member of the Supreme Council of the French Language, with the Ministry of Culture, under the presence of writer Yves Berger and remains jury to several literary prizes in Paris and the Cote d'Azur. After participating in 1970 to the creation of the Senegalese newspaper "Le Soleil" in Dakar, he spent most of his career at Nice-Matin of which he joined in 1972 the great reporting team. In 1978 he headed the department Magazines, creating the literary page then the gourmet chronicle "Cartes sur Tables". For a time Deputy Chief Editor of Nice, he then returned to writing and the great report and covers major exhibitions and book fairs between our region and Paris. Appointed editor in 2000, a position he held until 2008, Jacques Gantié was recognized throughout his career as one of the "feathers" of "Nice-Matin" and a talented journalist. Author of several books on the art of living, tourism and gastronomy, he finally created in 1991 the "Guide Gantié" of good restaurants in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, the authoritative annual publication whose 21st edition will be published in 2012. Jacques Gantié continues today his career as a journalist and author. In particular he is editorial advisor of the international magazine Hotel & Lodge, contributor to Culture pages of the "Point", regional correspondent of the weekly "Hotellerie et Restauration" and food columnist for several magazines. Between food and words, he thus remains, with curiosity and greed, true to his passions and his areas of interest, related to the world of culture. In his speech Mr. Christian Estrosi issued the evidence that was necessary for Mr. Jacques Gantié: "You are a man of letters and one of the best. But what about the Arts?" You may say "If literature is not an art, then what would it be" because you illustrate that the arts can be summed up for me was an expression: the arts of life, ie the art of cooking which gts together technique, beauty, enjoyment and spirit." Then ending with these words:" You have gathered in one word your talents and passions, and this word is: excellence. Jacques Gantié, on behalf of President of the Répiblique and under the powers conferred on us, we make you knight in the Order of Arts and Letters." Then M. Jacques Gantié in turn thanked his wife, his family and all guests came to share this moment of happiness.
