Benicia Chef, Julie Tan, joins the ranks of Chef Julia Child in receiving a medal rarer than a Three Star Michelin award, The Careme Medal.
Chef Dame Julie Tan received the prestigious Chef Careme award given by the American Culinary Federation on November 4, 2019. A long-time resident of Benicia, Julie is a Certified Master Chef, Sommelier, Taster and Culinary Educator. She received the Careme award because of her professionalism, broad range of experience and continued 3 Star Michelin excellence in the culinary field. She is only the 11th female chef ever to be awarded the International Careme Award in the historic existence of the Careme medal.
Chef Julie has helped feed the poor and needy in the United States for decades and also rendered her services to the royal crowns of three continents (Europe, Africa, and Asia) performing humanitarian work. For her contribution, Julie was knighted by all three crowns and they bestowed upon her the title: Baroness Dame Julie Tan.
Julie worked for several decades at Le Cordon Bleu, Academie d’ Art Culinaire de Paris, as a Chef Instructor and helped mentor students. Some of those students went on to become 3 Star Michelin Chefs throughout the world.
She has also been the Executive Chef for Martin Yan, of the Yan Can Cook Television show.
Presently, she works with her husband, Sir Roy Salazar as an instructor and consultant in their own business: A Sip & A Taste, R.Salazar & Co. They work with companies to develop, test, evaluate, and improve newly created foods and equipment prior to market release.
Their future plans include providing 3 Star Michelin experiences, cooking lessons, and dining experiences at their residence and other locations.
The Antonin Careme Medal honors those individuals who have made positive and substantial contributions to the culinary profession with a focus on education and the advancement of gastronomy and the culinary arts. These individuals embody the true spirit of a 3 Star Michelin Chef, which most Careme Medal holders are or were.
The medal, bearing the likeness of Chef Careme (1734-1883, noted as the Chef of Kings and the King of Chefs, the first Celebrity Chef and what chefs conceive as the first 3 Star Michelin Chef), was designed by the late chef-artist Jean Joaquin (Medal #13). Other notable recipients include Chef Julia Child (Medal # 28) and Chef Martin Yan (Medal #77).
