'Best Chef' in the World Found Dead Inside Home, Suicide Angle Eyed

The top chef of the Swiss restaurant, recently declared as the best in the entire world, was discovered dead inside his home over the weekend, and authorities are looking at suicide as a possible angle.

CNN reported that Chef Benoit Violier of the Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville in Crissier, Switzerland, was found lifeless on Sunday afternoon inside his home in the same locality.

It noted that the initial investigation by authorities revealed that he could have ended his life by shooting himself.

No further details were revealed by the police, saying they wanted to respect the privacy of the family.

In December last year, Violier's restaurant was named the world's best restaurant by France's La Liste, which ranks the top 1,000 restaurants around the world.

According to CNBC, the famous restaurant also has three Michelin stars, aside from other international recognition and praise from a lot of people.

Last April 2012, Violier became the chef in charge of the Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville's kitchen after the leadership of French chef Philippe Rochat, who died last year in a bicycle accident.

It was highlighted in The Guardian report that Violier's death came six weeks after the La Liste recognition. The chef even expressed gratitude for the restaurant's achievement.

"It's wonderful, it's exceptional for us. This will serve to motivate the whole team even more," Violier was earlier quoted by the same report as saying.

The reason is still not clear as to why the top chef decided to end his life, but The Guardian said that he recently suffered two losses in 2015 -- the death of his mentor Rochat and his father's demise last April.

It was added in the same report that Violier is not the first top chef to end his own life, noting that this once again highlights the pressures that come with the job.

Thirteen years ago, French chef Bernard Loiseau also shot himself using a rifle, which ended his life at 52.

He was reportedly "depressed, overworked and heavily in debt" prior to his suicide.

As news of the chef's death spreads, colleague Fredy Girardet, who is also a renowned Swiss chef, said that he was "dumbfounded" by the incident, per 24 Heures. 

"He was a brilliant man. Such talent, and an amazing capacity for work. He was so kind, with so many qualities. He gave the impression of being perfect," Girardet added.

Meanwhile, Swiss chef Edgard Bovier of the La Table d'Edgard restaurant in Lausanne, tagged Violier as the "Federer of cooking" as well as an approachable and warm person.