More than a hat tip, the Prestigious Toque d'Argent is awarded to Michel Richard

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Photo by Jean-Jacques Retourne Michel Richard receives the Toque d'Argent from some of the world's great French chefs

Some of the finest chefs in the world gathered at an intimate ceremony at Citronelle Saturday evening to tip their hats -- well, one large sterling silver hat, to be exact -- to renowned chef Michel Richard.

One of the most successful chefs in America, Richard doesn't lack for awards, but this one is different: The Association des Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, or Master Chefs of France, honored Richard with the esteemed "Toque d’Argent" award of excellence.  Approximately 16 members of the worldwide organization came for the ceremony, giving Richard a symbolic chef's hat of silver that is held by each winner for one year.

As tiny salmon "cupcakes" and other creations floated through the ceremony, Richard told the group -- in French, bien sûr -- that he started cooking at age seven, landing his first job as an apprentice pastry chef at 14 in the Champagne region. For years, Richard dreamed of creating the range of savory dishes that the great executive chefs were appointed to design. "Do you think I'm ready, maman?" he would ask his mother year after year.

After his military service, Richard moved to Paris to join Gaston Lenotre 's esteemed pastry shop. In 1977, he moved to Los Angeles, opening a patisserie, then -- 10 years later -- the restaurant called Citrus. That eventually led to restaurants in San Francisco, Baltimore and Philadelphia. In 1994, he came to the Latham Hotel in Georgetown to open Citronelle.