A chef whose restaurant was named the best in the world in December has been found dead.

The body of Benoit Violier was discovered at his home in Crissier, near the city of Lausanne on Sunday afternoon.

The 44-year-old, who was born in France but recently obtained Swiss nationality, appeared to have shot himself, police said.

The acclaimed chef had run the Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville since 2012.

The restaurant, which boasts three Michelin stars, claimed top spot in France's La Liste ranking which named 1,000 top establishments in 48 countries.

“It’s wonderful, it’s exceptional for us," Mr Violier said after winning the prize.

"This ranking will only motivate our team more.”

As news of Mr Violier's death emerged, fellow chefs expressed their shock at the sudden passing of "an extremely talented chef".