French Fashion’s Favorite Chef, Accused
Inside the Jean Imbert Scandal
Perhaps you’ve seen his name on the back of Dior menus. Maybe you’ve spotted him grinning between Pharrell and Beyoncé in an Instagram story from Miami or posing in a magazine spread with Bella Hadid. Jean Imbert isn’t just a chef, he’s a celebrity fixture, fashion week darling, and go-to culinary auteur for the Plaza Athénée, the Hôtel Martinez in Cannes, and any label that needs a side of foie gras with their front row.
But this morning, France woke up to a different kind of Jean Imbert story.
In a damning Elle France investigation, four of his former partners accuse him of psychological abuse, excessive jealousy, and, in one case, physical violence. The accounts are disturbing and, as the article puts it, “repeated, lasting and concordant.” One woman says she was isolated from her family and friends, and pushed to shut down her Instagram after his paranoia over male friends “who he suspected were in love with [her].” Another describes obsessive control over where she went and who she saw. When she didn’t answer his messages fast enough, he reportedly wrote, “It destroys me.”
One woman, who testifies under the name Eléonore — accuses him of headbutting her and breaking her nose. “He managed to break me, to make me a mop,” she says. Imbert acknowledges the headbutt but claims he was also a victim of violence in that relationship. Actress Lila Salet says she filed a police complaint in 2013 after he smashed her front door. She later withdrew the complaint under pressure, and now claims she was subjected to both “huge slaps” and constant psychological degradation. A fourth woman, artist Kelly Santos, says Imbert called her a “whore” and a “puff” during their relationship and criticized her past lovers and body, eventually prompting her to change how she dressed.
Jean Imbert, through his PR team, denies the accusations and describes the relationships as mutually dysfunctional. He’s submitted screenshots of messages and letters from former partners as part of a defense based on “reciprocal harm,” along with testimony from four women who say they had positive relationships with him.
Still, the allegations have landed with particular force — not just because of their severity, but because of who Jean Imbert has become.
Born on July 18, 1981, in L’Haÿ-les-Roses, a suburb of Paris, Imbert discovered his passion for cooking at a young age. His parents ran a successful bookbinding and printing business, but there were no professional chefs in the family. He honed his culinary skills at the prestigious Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, graduating in 2001.
Imbert’s rise to fame began in earnest when he won the third season of Top Chef France in 2012. By that time, he had already opened his first restaurant, L’Acajou, in Paris at the age of 22. The establishment quickly became a hotspot for celebrities, attracting the likes of Robert De Niro, Johnny Hallyday, and Beyoncé.
His celebrity connections didn’t stop there. Imbert formed a close friendship with musician Pharrell Williams, leading to several collaborations. Together, they opened Swan, a restaurant in Miami, and launched ToShare, a summer pop-up in Saint-Tropez.
In 2019, Imbert and Williams partnered with luxury silverware brand Christofle to create a limited-edition version of the MOOD cutlery set. The egg-shaped object housed colorful utensils and featured the word “Share” engraved in Pharrell’s handwriting, symbolizing their shared values of creativity and celebration.
Imbert’s flair for combining culinary arts with fashion led to collaborations with high-end brands. In a high-profile move, he was appointed head of Dior’s restaurant, Monsieur Dior, in 2021, a role that positioned him at the intersection of haute couture and fine dining. The restaurant, previously helmed by chefs from the upper echelons of French gastronomy, gave Imbert a spotlight that blended luxury and culinary art, a role that elevated his brand to new heights. He also recently worked with Dior to design chocolate creations for the Easter holiday at their flagship store on Avenue Montaigne.
In 2021, Imbert succeeded the legendary Alain Ducasse as the head chef at the Plaza Athénée in Paris. His appointment was met with skepticism by some in the culinary world, who questioned his experience and viewed him as more of a media personality than a serious chef. Nevertheless, his unique take on French cuisine earned the restaurant a Michelin star in 2022.
Imbert’s influence extended beyond Paris. He took over the kitchens at the Hôtel Martinez in Cannes in 2023, just weeks before the Cannes Film Festival. His restaurant, La Palme d’Or, received a Michelin star in March 2025.
Despite his professional success, Imbert’s career has not been without controversy. Critics have accused him of prioritizing celebrity connections over culinary excellence. François-Régis Gaudry of L’Express remarked that there were “hundreds of chefs who not only have more experience but also work harder,” suggesting that Imbert’s talent lay more in self-promotion than in cooking.
The timing of the Elle France investigation is particularly significant. The Cannes Film Festival, where Imbert was once again slated to cook the prestigious jury dinner, is set to open in just two weeks. The festival has recently pledged to address the #MeToo movement and review findings from an inquiry into abuse in the cultural sector.
In the hours preceding the publication of the exposé, Bouillantes noted that the “By Jean Imbert” branding quietly disappeared from the Monsieur Dior restaurant on Avenue Montaigne. It’s unclear whether Dior has severed ties with the chef or if a new culinary direction is being pursued.
Now, as the fashion and culinary worlds hold their breath, the question is: How does someone so embedded in luxury deal with the fallout from these accusations? As of now, Imbert’s collaborators are staying tight-lipped, raising even more questions about what comes next.