He was known as a master of foie gras and was the first to sear duck breast like steak, turning years of tradition on its head. His culinary ancestry can be traced back through 7 generations of hoteliers, restaurateurs, tavern-keepers, butchers and charcutiers—a rich food heritage that he has passed on to all three of his children, son Arnaud, owner of Hegia, an award-winning guesthouse in Biarritz, daughter Ariane, founder and owner of D’Artagnan, and daughter Anne owner of a patisserie, Le Petit Duc, in Provence. So revered by fellow chefs in France, they elected him President of Union des Métiers et des Industries de l'Hôtellerie, of which he is now retired. Through the years he also mentored many famous American chefs in his kitchen, including Tom Colicchio and Kerry Heffernan. Chef Daguin is the author of several cookbooks, including “1 Duck, 2 Daguin”, a book he wrote with his son Arnaud, published in 2010.
