A real food dynasty from the south west of France : the Family DARROZE

This family means something special to me because I had the great honor to know them (my father side family comes from Villeneuve de Marsan, my grand father was friend with Jean DARROZE) and when I was young I tasted their fabulous cuisine.

For three generations, the family Darroze divides  its passions and its time between  kitchen and Armagnac.

Francis and Marc Darroze

The beginning of the adventure is set in the 1950s and 1960s when Jean Darroze is at the top family restaurant in Villeneuve de Marsan in the heart of the Bas Armagnac. 


He shares his passions and his work with children who are all involved in national and international reputation of the family restaurant.

Thus Francis, the youngest, is responsible for the wine list ... and the Armagnacs. According to his visits to the vineyards, Francis fed an extraordinary collection of eaux de vie from different vintages of Armagnac.

Early 70s, Francis decided to age itself, the waters of life, in his own cellar, under its sole control. He is stalking the Gascon countryside in search of the best pieces from different properties. In over thirty years, the collection of the house was embellished Darroze to reach over 250 different Armagnacs from 30 properties over 50 vintages.

His brother Marc, oenologist, is closely monitoring the breeding of Armagnacs. He works with the same rigor and the same passion as his father.

Great Assemblies

For generations, the family travels Darroze Gascony in the middle of the Grands Crus of Bas Armagnac. Thousands of old discoveries enhance stocks of the house Darroze.

This diversity of thought, in the year in the vines, in styles has allowed Marc Darroze this range of work entitled "The major assemblies." Chosen for their complementarity, the Armagnacs were selected from each batch of different ages. Every age on the bottle indicates the age of the youngest Armagnac in the assembly.

Helene Darroze

Helene was born in February 23, 1967 in Mont-de-Marsan in the Landes, she is a great French chef of the gourmet restaurant 'Hélène Darroze "in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. 15/20 Gault-Millau and only woman leader in business to be awarded two Michelin stars since 2003 (Anne-Sophie Pic has three).


Although in the 2010 version of the famous guide, Helene Darroze loses a star in Paris, she won two for his London restaurant at the Connaught (the first in 2009 and the second in 2011)

Dining restaurant 'Hélène Darroze. "

In 1895, his great-grandfather opened the inn "Le Relais" in Villeneuve-de-Marsan (20 km east of Mont-de-Marsan) in the Landes, taken by his grandfather Jean and his grandmother Charlotte, then by his father. Helen, born February 23, 1967 in Mont-de-Marsan is the fourth generation of this family of hotels and restaurants chefs in Landes.

It is marked as a child by the markets of the Basque country, where his father bought local produce from Landes: mushrooms, fresh eggs, foie gras, live poultry, Chalosse beef, salmon from the Adour, suckling lambs of the country Basque ...

The Louis XV Alain Ducasse in Monaco 

Prepa HEC after she graduated from Sup de Co Bordeaux in 1990 with a view to the management of hotel, then spent three years in the gourmet restaurant Louis XV in the Hotel de Paris, the master chef Alain Ducasse Landes in Monte Carlo, as commis chef for 4 months and then office manager. 


Ducasse, which recently received its third star prestigious encouraged to make the kitchen: "Trust me, I have observed, put yourself in the kitchen. In addition, there is a place to take for a woman. "

Resumption of the family inn "At Darroze" Landes

In 1993 his brother who is destined to take over the family restaurant eventually became winemaker and merchant Armagnac and allow him to resume his place the family inn "at Darroze" in Villeneuve-de-Marsan in his father's side.

In 1995, she took the family inn and was elected in December, "Young Chef of the Year" by the Guide  Champérard and "Great of Tomorrow" in 1996 by Gault-Millau.

In 1996 she was appointed by Relais & Chateaux catering for the meeting of heads of state Jacques Chirac and Helmut Kohl in Périgueux. 




The President of the Republic Jacques Chirac congratulates her and takes twice its stuffed squab.

Helene Darroze in Saint-Germain-des-Pres in Paris 

In 1999 she sold over greedy family to establish her own restaurant traditional Landes "Helene Darroze" 4 rue d'Assas on the left bank in Saint-Germain-des-Pres in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Surrounded by 52 employees (a third of them women) and its mascot briard Spaggiari (the name of the instigator of the heist of the century). The restaurant is decorated by his cousin the decorator designer Henry Becq, with several concepts:

• "The Salon d'Helene" cozy tapas lounge bar (ground floor).
• "The Dining Room" restaurant kitchen with Southwest, the Basque Country and Périgord (1st floor)
• "The Shop" selling local products.

In 2001 less than a year after the opening she had her first Michelin star, then the second in 2003 (only woman in business with Anne-Sophie Pic to hold the trophies). The two women accomplices leaders founded the club "New mothers cookers" to find, train and promote new Mère Brazier, Mère Poulard Mother White ... when she loses her second star in 2010.

Bistro Toustem 

In 2007 she opened the bistro "Toustem" ("tostemps" which means "always" Gascon Occitan), 12 rue de l'Hotel Colbert in the Latin Quarter of the 5th arrondissement of Paris opposite Notre Dame Cathedral. 


Decor beams, tradition and design, orange and green (her favorite colors), decorated by her friend Matali. The Toustem closed in August 2008.

Helene Darroze in London 

In 2008, Helen then given command of the restaurant The Connaught, vital institution of Mayfair for over 110 years. Helen also oversees all areas of the restoration of the hotel, including room service, private events and legendary Connaught Grill. In 2009, she landed a star in the Michelin guide and a second in 2011