H'el`ene Darroze New Chef at The Connaught

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. October 14, 2008

LONDON, UK, March 26, 2008. The Connaught has announced Michelin-starred French Chef H'el`ene Darroze, as the Chef at the helm of the landmark hotel in Mayfair, as it completes its nine month lb70 million restoration and renovation programme.

One of France's most distinguished chefs, she currently holds two Michelin stars at her restaurant 'H'el`ene Darroze' on the Left Bank in Paris. At The Connaught in June 2008 she will initially launch a signature restaurant to be known as 'H'el`ene Darroze at The Connaught' it will be designed by Parisian based India Mahdavi. In addition to this restaurant, H'el`ene will also oversee all culinary aspects of the hotel including The Gallery, an informal , elegant dining venue overlooking Carlos Place, and private and in-room dining. She will also be responsible for the revival of the famed Connaught Grill which will be returning in the Autumn.

Commenting on her appointment at The Connaught, H'el`ene Darroze says, "Expansion was not particularly on my agenda, but I visited The Connaught, and fell in love with the hotel both in terms of its history and its philosophy of offering the finest of everything. It felt like a perfect fit."

Stephen Alden, CEO of Maybourne Hotel Group, owners and managers of The Connaught said "This is a tremendous partnership. H'el`ene is a very talented Chef whose intuition and creativity are second to none. She is also a perfect match for the Connaught where the French Gourmet heritage has always been a part of the hotel's exceptional legacy. We are delighted that we will have the opportunity to work together to offer outstanding new dining experiences to our guests in London."

H'el`ene will split her time between her two restaurants, initially focussing heavily on the London operation, taking a flat in Mayfair and integrating into The Connaught way of life. She will be bringing a dedicated team of experienced staff from her Paris kitchen to lead a brigade of local talent.

H'el`ene Darroze hails from a long line of chefs. Her great grandfather was a patissier, and her great grandmother was a cook. She works with exceptional ingredients to create a cuisine which expresses the authentic flavours of her native Landes in South West France, and a savoir faire learnt from her culinary family since early childhood. This has remained the foundation of her cooking philosophy and she continues to be inspired by her roots with her menus offering regional and seasonal delicacies. "Each season offers something that enchants and inspires me." she says.

H'el`ene had a very prestigious start into the culinary arena when, in 1990 she worked as the right hand woman for Alain Ducasse when he had just gained his third star for the Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo. She then went on to run her family's Villeneuve-de-Marsan restaurant before opening her own establishment 'H'el`ene Darroze' in Paris in 1999. In 2001 she won her first Michelin star achieving her second star in 2003.

The Connaught has recently invested in a lb70 million restoration and renovation programme which includes a magnificent redesign of the guest rooms, suites and interiors and has brought together some of the world's finest designers and craftsmen. The legendary hotel has been brought into the 21st century while preserving with great care its authentic elegance, distinct personality and intuitive style of service.