Celebrity chef defends himself after article says he lied about his background

The chef in a photo shared Jan. 19, 2016 on Twitter (Source: @apollo1333 / Twitter)

MONTREAL - A Quebec celebrity chef is attempting to defend his credibility after a report he lied about his background.

Giovanni Apollo released a sworn affidavit following a Montreal La Presse investigation published Thursday that raised questions about his past, including his identity, his qualifications and even his place of birth.

The news organization says Apollo was not born in Italy as claimed in a number of sources and that his birth name is actually Jean-Claude.

It also refuted several published reports that Apollo trained under renowned chef Paul Bocuse.

Apollo, 47, who is based in Richelieu, published a lengthy affidavit on his website and on his various social media platforms to explain the discrepancies.

He is well-known in Quebec, appearing on TV and radio for more than a decade as well as writing cookbooks and a novel.