Jean-Claude LeLan was born in La Rochelle,
France, which is renowned for its seafood, scenery, and sailing. He began training to be a chef at the age of 14. By his early
twenties he had risen to the position of Chef at Chez Serge, a then-popular restaurant in the region.
In 1980 he came to the United States where he became Chef at Moveable Feast
in Sacramento, CA; Le Vieux Logis in Bethesda, MD; and Chez Froggy in
Crystal City, VA. He developed a large and loyal following, including Senator John Warner, during nearly two decades
as Executive Chef at Le Refuge in Old Town Alexandria, VA, once among the city's most popular restaurants
and cited in Zagat's for its "heavenly" cuisine.
Through his new company, Chef Jean-Claude Inc.,
he gives monthly cooking classes and is available to do cooking classes in people's homes. He is currently
in search of a commercial kitchen to do catering in the DC area.
Jean-Claude's luscious Chocolate Mousse was selected
to be one of three signature dishes from area chefs featured on the menu at the Garden Cafe: Fontainebleau at the
National Gallery of Art on the National Mall in 2008.
