Chef Florian V. Hugo is a veteran of the world-renowned Alain Ducasse restaurants in Paris, Monaco and London. He was also Sous Chef of Alain Ducasse at the Essex House Hotel in New York City. Chef Hugo also had the privilege of serving his military duty as the private chef for the French Minister of Defense. Formerly, the Executive Chef at La Panetière Restaurant in Rye, NY, Greenwich Magazine quoted Chef Hugo to "have taken La Panetiere Restaurant from excellent to extraordinary." Hugo has also been known to pack "precision and flavor into each dish he creates." In addition to appearing on the Today Show and News 12, Chef Hugo’s culinary talent was rated "Excellent" by the New York Times in November 2005. In August 2006, he joined the Four Seasons Hotel as a restaurant chef.

As Executive Chef of Brasserie Cognac, Chef Hugo uses his experience and talent to create a traditional French Brasserie menu with a modern twist. He selects the freshest ingredients from the best quality available on the market. Some of his unique creations are Stripped Bass with Champagne Sauce, Fine Lobster Bisque, the Tartar Royal of Corn-fed Filet Mignon with Caper Berries and Dijon Mustard and decadent Truffle Croque Monsieur and delicious Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart. Chef Hugo uses Cognac inside a number of recipes, and it is also offered as a pairing to many dishes, including in a couple of tableside flambé dishes.

"The cuisine at Brasserie Cognac is generous in flavors, firmly anchored in the basics of French brasserie dishes, yet somewhat sophisticated,” Chef Hugo says. "We are aiming to please and satisfy New Yorkers’ discerning palates, providing our guests with a unique and distinctive experience, surrounded by Brasserie Cognac's lively atmosphere." A native of Provence, Chef Hugo is a direct descendant of the writer Victor Hugo. Chef Hugo comes from a family of generations of artists and poets, thus treats his cuisine as his own form of art. His great energy and enthusiasm are among his greatest assets. Chef Hugo brings to Brasserie Cognac his strong belief in the simplicity of cooking, focusing on flavor and sophistication.