Imagine accepting an award in your field that’s the equivalent of an Academy Award, something that only a relative handful of your contemporaries can say they’ve achieved. Those bragging rights now belong to Bernard Guillas, executive chef of the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. Earlier in March, Guillas joined the ranks of other legendary French chefs as a Maître Cuisinier de France (Master Chef of France) at a ceremony in Paris. Guillas took his fame national when he appeared on the Today Show on March 23 to discuss his induction into the famous organization, whose members often go on to win other prestigious titles, such as the Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur or the Ordre National du Mérite Agricole. Currently, Guillas is one of only 10 chefs in California to hold the honor. On the show, he also discussed his new book, “Flying Pans: Two Chefs, One World,” which he co-authored with chef de cuisine of the Marine Room, Ron Oliver. Guillas grew up in Brittany where he cultivated a love for local produce and seafood, a background that has served him well in La Jolla. His philosophy, he says, is “a good cook is like a sorcerer who dispenses happiness on a plate.”