He was at the top, and the fall is all the more violent. On Wednesday, April 15, 2026, the management of the Plaza Athénée restaurant announced that chef Jean Imbert would be leaving his position in the establishment's kitchens, with “immediate effect.” This decision came a few months after he had been accused, on several occasions, of domestic violence by his ex-partners. “With what has happened in his private life, we are taking him off the front page,” says François Delahaye, general manager of Plaza Athénée, to AFP.
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Removed from the Plaza Athénée... but not completely
Chef Jocelyn Herland will now take over as the executive chef of the establishment. Even though Jean Imbert has been removed from the kitchens, he will not completely leave the Plaza Athénée. He will still remain in charge of the artistic direction of the venue for the time being. “If he is found guilty, I will take responsibility for what is mine. But for now, he is still presumed innocent,” adds François Delahaye. He notes that the venue's attendance has “been somewhat affected” by these accusations.
Several accusations
Allegations of physical and psychological violence and an ongoing investigation
An investigation opened by the Versailles prosecutor's office for domestic violence targets the 44-year-old chef, winner of season 3 of Top Chef. This follows a complaint filed by actress Lila Salet regarding incidents of domestic violence and sequestration that allegedly occurred around 2012-2013.
In August 2025, several other women also spoke out on social media, denouncing physical and psychological violence committed by Jean Imbert. This included Alexandra Rosenfeld, Miss France 2006, who mentioned having her nose broken by the chef in 2013 — accusations he denies. Chef of several other establishments in Île-de-France and the south, he claims to be stepping back.
the time for the investigation.See this post on Instagram