Claude Lebey (20 November 1923 – 10 January 2017) was a French
food critic and the author of Guide Lebey.
Early life
Claude Lebey was born on 20 November 1923.[1][2][3]
Career
Lebey began his career in the textile industry,[1] where he became a chief executive.[4] He later became a culinary critic for L'Express, followed by
Gault Millau.[1] He was also the editor of cookbooks.[1] For example, he edited
Michel Guérard's cookbook.[1][2] In 1987, he began publishing the annual Guide Lebey des Restaurants de Paris and the Lebey des Bistrots de Paris et sa banlieue.[1] He sold the Lebey brand to Gérald de Roquemaurel et Pierre-Yves Chupin in 2011.[2] A year later, he published his memoir.[5]
Lebey was the founder of the Club des Croqueurs de Chocolat, a non-profit organization for "chocolate biters", in 1981.[6] With
Jacques Pessis, he was the co-founder of the Association de sauvegarde de l'oeuf mayonnaise (ASOM), a non-profit organization for the defense of
egg mayonnaise, in 1990.[7][8] He was also the founder of Les Amis des bistrots parisiens and Le Club des amateurs de cigares de Havane.[1][4]