The French restaurateur Fernand Point (1897-1955) was the father of modern French cuisine. From his restaurant "La Pyramide" in an out-of-the-way town south of Lyon, he gained three Michelin stars and trained a generation of French master chefs: Paul Bocuse, Alain Chapel, Louis Outhier and Jean and Pierre, the Brothers Troisgros. The restaurant was founded shortly after World War I. From its kitchen came the modern lightly-thickened sauces, baby vegetables and other aspects of nouvelle cuisine. During the regime of Vichy France, he discretely closed his restaurant.

His book Ma Gastronomie contains refined technques rather than traditional full recipes.