French-Swiss chef Benoit Violier, whose restaurant topped France prestigious La Liste ranking in December, was found dead in his home in Crissier, Switzerland, AFP reported on Monday. The 44-year-old ran the Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville, which holds three Michelin stars. Violier was expected to attend the launch of the new Michelin guide, which celebrates the world’s best restaurants, in Paris on Monday. However, the police found his body and launched a full investigation after it appeared that he had shot himself.

When Violier’s restaurant had been named the world’s best, he had said it was “wonderful and exceptional” for his team. He had taken over the restaurant, earlier run by his mentor and French luminary Philippe Rochat, in 2012 with his wife Brigitte. He was named Chef of the Year 2013 by the Gault & Millau guide, which is second only to the Michelin guide in prestige.