French chef Hélène Darroze, who heads the restaurants Hélène Darroze in Paris, France, and Helene Darroze at The Connaught in London, UK, receives the Veuve Clicquot Award as this year´s Best Female Chef in the World. Last year’s honoree was the Brazilian chef Helena Rizzo. Darroze will be honored at the presentation ceremony of the 50 Best Restaurants in the World, sponsored by San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, to be held in London this coming June.

Chef Hélène Darroze.

Hélène Darroze represents the fourth generation of a family of chefs. She is a highly educated woman who worked for three years with the team of Alain Ducasse at the prestigious restaurant Louis XV in Monaco, after obtaining her degree from the prestigious Ecole de Commerce in Bordeaux.

Following her apprenticeship with the great Ducasse, in 1995 she returned to the family restaurant Chez Darroze in Villeneuve-de-Marsan in the Landes region, taking charge of the kitchen for the next four years, refining her cooking style and honing her skills.

(L) Restaurant in London; (R) Restaurant in Paris.

At the young age 0f 32 she opened a restaurant in Paris, which bore her name and soon became a benchmark of sophisticated contemporary French cuisine. Later, in 2008, her undoubted talent, and savoir-faire caught the attention of the luxurious Connaught Hotel in London, where she opened the restaurant Helene Darroze at the Connaught in the heart of the British capital. Review our selection of luxury restaurants around the world.

Darroze´s gastronomic proposal shines with her boundless passion and unique expertise to prepare inimitable dishes. The best and freshest seasonal ingredients are the cornerstones of her kitchen, which consists of carefully prepared and beautifully presented contemporary French specialties.

In addition to her well-deserved award as the best female chef of 2015, Darroze has received other major prizes, including the French Legion of Honor from President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2012.

“I think it is important to recognize women and their achievements,” said Hélène Darroze, visibly moved, after being informed she had been selected for this prestigious recognition. “My hope is that the winners of this award will inspire young women—including my daughters—to follow their passion and work hard to hone their skills, no matter what profession they may choose.”■