Hélène Darroze

Hélène Darroze (born 23 February 1967) is a French chef. She has three Michelin stars and three restaurants, Hélène Darroze at The Connaught in London and Restaurant Hélène Darroze in Paris and Moscow.[1]

Hélène Darroze
Hélène Darroze in 2007
Born (1967-02-23) 23 February 1967
Culinary career
Cooking styleFrench cuisine

Career

In 1990, after graduating from university, Darroze began working for Alain Ducasse in the office of the Le Louis XV restaurant in Monaco,[2] where she was convinced to enter the kitchen by Ducasse. It was her first time working anywhere other than her family restaurant and she later said that she was working in the office about half the time.[3] After working for Ducasse for three years, she returned to her family's restaurant and kept its existing Michelin star. After the restaurant suffered financial difficulties and closed in 1999, she opened Restaurant Hélène Darroze in Rue d'Assas, Paris and won her first Michelin star in 2001, picking up a second in 2003.[4] The second star was lost in the 2010 version of the guide.[5]

In 2008, Darroze was named as the new chef at the Connaught in London, replacing Angela Hartnett, who had operated Angela Hartnett at The Connaught there on behalf of Gordon Ramsay Holdings. Darroze took over as part of a £70m refurbishment of the hotel and, in addition to the restaurant, she is also responsible for the hotel's catering services.[4] Hélène Darroze at The Connaught was panned by restaurant critics when it first opened.[3] Food critic Jay Rayner described the food there as "Two of the very worst dishes ever to be served to me at this level."[6] Despite this, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2009,[7] and then a second star in 2011 and a third in 2021.[2]

In 2012 Darroze was admitted into the French Legion of Honour as a Chevalier (Knight) by President Nicolas Sarkozy.[8]

Personal life

Darroze is a fourth generation chef, the previous three having run a family restaurant in Villeneuve-de-Marsan, France. Before becoming a professional chef she earned a degree in business.

Darroze has two adopted daughters from Vietnam,[3] Charlotte and Quiterie.[2] She alternates on a weekly basis between staying in London and in Paris, in order to split her time between two of her restaurants.[3]

References
  1. Slater, Lydia (27 March 2014). "Three restaurants. Two daughters. Three Michelin stars. Hélène Darroze got a lot on her plate". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  2. Kühn, Kerstin (21 April 2011). "The Caterer Interview – Hélène Darroze". Caterer and Hotelkeeper. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  3. Cavendish, Lucy (1 February 2011). "Hélène Darroze: two cities, two children and two Michelin stars. My mum says I'm insane". Evening Standard. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  4. Afiya, Amanda (26 March 2008). "Hélène Darroze is named as the new chef at London's Connaught". Caterer and Hotelkeeper. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  5. Kühn, Kerstin (18 January 2011). "Michelin awards two stars to Hélène Darroze". Caterer and Hotelkeeper. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  6. Rayner, Jay (14 December 2008). "The worst of times". The Observer. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  7. "Michelin stars in London". Michelin Online. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  8. "Hélène Darroze admitted into the French Legion of Honour". Guide Girl. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
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