William Ledeuil is awarded the 'Le Fooding' prize of honor for 2009

(AFP PHOTO/STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN)

Winner of the 2009 Le Fooding Prize of honor is William Ledeuil, head Chef at Paris's Ze Kitchen Galerie restaurant, who has described his style of cooking as a game.

Taking into account a given ingredient's natural flavor, color and architecture, Ledeuil believes a cook should "let imagination and sensitivity run free while respecting the classic base of a recipe." Not so far removed from the Le Fooding movement's own philosophy of mixing food with feeling.

Ledeuil (zekitchengalerie.fr) was awarded the title Monday night at the closing of Improper Food, a week-long Le Fooding event held in Paris.

Other winning restaurants in France include:

Fooding Prize 2009 for best female chef : Yam'Tcha, Adeline Grattard, Paris
Fooding Prize 2009 for best male chef : Frenchie, Grégory Marchand, Paris
Fooding Prize 2009 for best interior decor : Derrière, Mourad and Akim Mazouz, Paris
Fooding Prize 2009 for best affordable luxury: Chez Pham, Christine Pham, Toulouse
Fooding Prize 2009 for best wine bar : Vigne en Foule, Julien Bourdaries et Laurent Cazottes, Gaillac (southwest France)
The ‘Love' Fooding Prize 2009: Caffe Dei Cioppi, Francesca et Federico Mancioppi, Paris
Fooding Prize 2009  for best wine-cellar/restaurant : Le Gibolin, Luc Desrousseaux, Arles
Fooding Prize 2009 for best "objet vaillant non identifié" (best unclassifiable restaurant) : Le 7ème Continent, Laurent Haller, Rixheim (Alsace)
Fooding Prize for 2009 best bistro : Bistrot d'Edouard, Edouard Giribone, Marseille

www.lefooding.com