Virginie Basselot was born on 21 April 1979 in Deauville, Normandy, France.[1] As a teenager, she pursued a culinary career, following in her father's career as a chef although also had ambitions to become a fighter pilot.[2] Basselot undertook an apprenticeship in Normandy at the age of 15. She then moved to Paris at the age of 19 where she worked at several restaurants.[3] These included under chef Éric Fréchon at Hôtel Le Bristol Paris, Dominique Bouchet at Hôtel de Crillon and Guy Martin at Le Grand Véfour.[2]
She began working at the restaurant within the Saint James Paris hotel in 2012 as executive chef, where she was awarded a Michelin star in 2014.[2] Basselot created the signature of the restaurant, cod in a lemon balm butter with seasonal vegetables on a layer of tapioca.[4] The following year, she was named to the Meilleur Ouvrier de France. This was only the second occasion that a woman was named to the title since it began in 1924.[2]
