Hélène Darroze is no stranger to accolades. The French-born chef is a fourth generation culinary master who has held two Michelin stars since earning a degree from l’Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Bordeaux.
Darroze now has another award for her mantelpiece after being voted the 2015 Veuve Clicquot World’s Best Female Chef, owing the remarkable cuisine on offer at Hélène Darroze in Paris and Hélène Darroze at the Connaught.
At the age of 32, the former Alain Ducasse protégé closed her family restaurant and set her sights on Paris, opening her eponymous restaurant on the Left Bank to critical acclaim and widespread commendation. Darroze’s talent and heartfelt contemporary French cuisine caught the attention of the Connaught, leading to the opening of Hélène Darroze at the Connaught in 2008.
“Celebrating the success of remarkable female chefs, in what remains a very male-orientated world, is of enormous importance,” said William Drew, group editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
“In conjunction with Veuve Clicquot, we are proud and excited to present the award to Hélène Darroze. Hélène’s impressive accomplishments, passion for exceptional produce and dedication to the profession makes her the perfect recipent of this year’s Veuve Clicquot World’s Best Female Chef. She is an inspiration to future generations of women who want to enter the profession, proving that skill, hard work and passion will be rewarded and celebrated.”
The Veuve Clicquot Champagne house prides itself in assisting the empowerment and innovation of audacious women. That first began with Madame Clicquot, who came to the helm of the business in 1805, creating the successful global brand of today, which also extends to the 41-year-old annual Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award.