The new chef at Mayfair’s Connaught Hotel is to be Hélène Darroze, one of the City of Light’s few female super-chefs. Her eponymous establishment on the Left Bank’s rue d’Assas has two Michelin stars.

The appointment is perhaps more interesting for not being one of the most ‘obvious’ big-name Parisian chefs, such as Alain Ducasse (who once employed Darroze at the Louix XV in Monaco, and who is already struggling with his own operation at the Dorchester) or Alain Passard of Arpège (who was earlier rumoured to be taking over at the Connaught).

Darroze’s appointment was first noted by Bloomberg, which reports that the establishment will open in June, designed by Paris-based India Mahdavi. Darroze will oversee all food service at the hotel, including a new informal eatery and the relaunch of the Connaught Grill later in the year.

In the Gallic way, Darroze descends from a long line of chefs, and her cuisine is based on that of her native Landes.

Before its multi-million pound refurbishment, now approaching completion, the catering at the Connaught was presided over by the Gordon Ramsay group (Angela Hartnett).

For further information, see the Maybourne Group press release.