Overview
- French Minister of Overseas Manuel Valls presented the medal on November 20 at Azul Rooftop Barceloneta in a ceremony held in Barcelona.
- Roughly 300 guests attended, including Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni and French consul Azar Agah-Ducrocq, alongside notable chefs and friends.
- Valls proposed Fornell for the honor, citing his role as a strong representative of France abroad.
- Fornell is cited as the only chef to have earned Michelin stars in both France (Chaldette at age 24) and Spain (Caelis in 2005).
- The Legion of Honor is conferred by presidential decree for eminent merit of at least 20 years, and Fornell’s citation notes 31 years of service as a chef.