The famous French chef -and the only woman to hold three Michelin stars- welcomed Chic-Londres and its guests at The Connaught on Monday 18th January for an exclusive evening of haute-cuisine.
Chic-Londres Events was very proud to organise a gourmet evening with Hélène Darroze at the exclusive Connaught hotel in Mayfair. The “wonderwoman of French cuisine”, who is the most famous female chef in the world and a much loved celebrity in her native France, had concocted a special menu featuring nine of a signature dishes, including duck foie gras with mild spices, black rice with sautéed calamari with chorizo and escaoutoun from Les Landes perfumed with Vacherin and black truffle, prompting guests to put aside their detox resolutions to enjoy the delicious food! Hélène had chosen an Armagnac cocktail and some wine produced by her brother Marc to accompany the dishes.
The evening’s guest included -amongts others- Florence Gomez, general manager of the French Chamber of Commerce in the UK, Jean-François Cécillon, formerly CEO of EMI International (for which he famously signed Robbie Williams) and now vice-chairman of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s theatre company, Louisa Dent, general manager of film distribution company Artificial Eye, Bernard Gault, founding partner of private bank Perella Weinberg, and Chrystel Hug, general manager of the Alliance Française in London.
Hélène Darroze (42) comes from an established dynasty of restaurateurs from Les Landes region in south-west France. However, she first chose to study business in Bordeaux, before being discovered at the age of 25 by Alain Ducasse while she worked as a manager at his Monaco hotel: the celebrated chef saw her talent and passion for food, and persuaded her to switch from business to cuisine, with much success, first in the family restaurant, where she gained one Michelin star, and then in her eponymous restaurant in Paris, which holds two Michelin stars. In 2008, she surprised everyone when she moved to London to oversee the cuisine at the revamped Connaught hotel in Mayfair, while keeping her restaurant in the French capital. Her restaurant at The Connaught got its first Michelin star in 2009 –which makes Hélène the only woman to hold three Michelin stars- and wide acclaims in the British press. She is the inspiration for the Disney character Colette in Ratatouille, has adopted two little girls in Vietnam and wrote a bestselling autobiography. She has recently been knighted by president Nicolas Sarkozy, who chose her as a recipient for the prestigious French Ordre National du Mérite.
For infor,qtion on events orgqnisqtion, please contact Chic-Londres with your details at[email protected]
To plan a private event at the Connaught, call the events team 020 7107 8894. The Connaught, Carlos Place, W1 (Green Park)
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