Raphael Francois has left Le Cirque in New York and joined D&D London's Launceston Place as the new Chef Patron.
With a wealth of experience gained from some of the world’s best Michelin-starred kitchens, Francois is excited to bring a new vision to the London restaurant scene.
Francois’s cuisine combines his background in classical French cuisine with contemporary flavours and techniques. Now taking charge of the kitchen of this much-loved Kensington Restaurant, he will create innovative and modern menus that celebrate seasonal British produce at its peak.
Sample dishes include Scallop with parmesan, beets and truffle melanosporum; Blue Crab Simplissime with creamy potato, tarragon, carapace jus; Squab with Mandarin, pomme noisette and barley; and desserts such as Crème Catalane with banana and lime sorbet, and burnt lime; and Chocolate Nemesis with poached apple, and pecan parfait.
Francois spent several successful years in Paris working closely alongside He´le`ne Darroze as the Head Chef of her double Michelin-Starred Restaurant He´le`ne Darroze, as well as several of her City-based projects. Returning to London, Raphael took the Executive Chef position at The Connaught hotel, which was awarded two Michelin Stars in 2011.
Born and raised in Belgium and France, Francois was driven to pursue a career within the fine dining industry, completing a Masters degree in Hotel Management and Culinary Arts. He began his professional career in the late 1990s working alongside distinguished chefs such as Claude Lavallee, Michel Theurel, Yves Mattagne, and Dominique Bouchet.