Michel Ernest Bonnet

1932 - 2020

Michel Ernest Bonnet passed away at home on June 8, 2020 as a result of complications from a serious fall in early April. Michel was born March 20, 1932 above the bistro La Pointe Lafayette in Paris and, as if that were an omen, spent virtually his entire life in the food business. Trained as a pâtissier in France, Michel spent a period working as a pastry chef at the Savoy Hotel in London before heading to North America. After a stay in Toronto during which he opened his own pastry shop, he moved on to San Francisco where he would spend the rest of his life. He was proud of his American citizenship, yet he always looked forward to his regular visits back to France.

Upon arrival in San Francisco, Michel worked at several places … most notably, Rue Lepic. Then, in 1975 he was part of the team that opened Le Central, San Francisco’s first brasserie-style restaurant. The restaurant became a fixture on the San Francisco dining scene, and Michel became a fixture as Le Central’s ever-present maître d’. Except for a brief period in Palm Springs at Scoma and the Westin, he remained at Le Central until his retirement in 2002. He achieved a long-held dream when he became one of the owners of Le Central during his last years working there. A member of the Society of Bacchus, food was Michel’s love and he cooked regularly until his fall and hospitalization. His training in pastry notwithstanding, his repertoire covered the full range of la cuisine française. Michel leaves behind relatives and friends in France as well as countless friends throughout North America, all of whom cherish their individual memories of times with Michel. May he rest in peace. A private memorial mass was held at Notre Dame des Victories Church in San Francisco. Private Interment. Arrangements under the direction of Adobe Creek Funeral Home, Petaluma, CA  707-789-9000