In tragic news this morning, top French-Swiss chef Benoit Violier, 44, of Switzerland’s three-star Michelin restaurant, Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville, was found dead at his home on Sunday, January 31, in an apparent suicide, police said.

“Late in the afternoon, police… went to Crissier where they discovered at his home the body of Mr Benoit Violier,” Swiss police said in a statement, adding that it appeared he had shot himself.

Crissier, near the southwestern Swiss city of Lausanne, is the location of Violier’s restaurant.

You may recall that we covered the news of the restaurant being crowned the “world’s best restaurant” by France’s “La Liste” last year. This ranking named 1,000 top establishments in 48 countries and sparked off a storm of media interest, a story we covered here.

The gastronomic guide is the French foreign ministry’s answer to the UK-based World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Violier was also ranked on 50 Best.

Swiss police said an investigation had been opened into the death. “Out of respect for the family”, Swiss authorities would make no further comment, police added.