French chef Pierre Gagnaire was born on April 9, 1950, in Apinac, Loire, France. He began his apprenticeship at numerous renowned restaurants, including the restaurant "Tant Alice" in 1968 and the InterContinental Hotel in 1973. In 1976, he began working at his father's restaurant, Le Clos Fleury, and took over the following year, earning one Michelin star. He opened his own restaurant, "Pierre Gagnaire," in 1981, earning two stars in 1986. He relocated the restaurant in 1992 and earned three Michelin stars. However, in 1996, he relinquished his Michelin star due to bankruptcy, and his restaurant in Saint-Étienne closed. That same year, with investment from an acquaintance, he opened "Pierre Gagnaire" in the hotel "L'Hotel Balzac" in Paris's 8th arrondissement. In 1998, it regained its three Michelin stars.

Since 2001, he has been working with French physical chemist Hervé This on a new cooking method that incorporates scientific ideas known as "molecular gastronomy." He currently operates restaurants around the world, including "Sketch" in London, "Gaya" in Paris, and "Pierre à Hong Kong" in Hong Kong. In Japan, "Pierre Gagnaire Tokyo" opened in the ANA InterContinental Hotel Tokyo in 2010.