Nico Ladenis
Nico Ladenis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 April 1934 Tanganyika (present-day Tanzania) |
| Died | 10 September 2023 (aged 89) |
| Occupation(s) | Chef, author |
| Known for | First self-taught chef awarded three Michelin stars; owner of Chez Nico |
Nico Ladenis (22 April 1934 – 10 September 2023) was a British chef who taught himself the craft and became the first to be awarded three Michelin Stars.
Following his graduation with a degree in Economics from Hull University, he took up a position at The Sunday Times, where he met his future wife, Dinah-Jane. Together, they raised two daughters: Natasha Robinson (born 1964) and Isabella Wallace (born 1966), and had one granddaughter named Lily-Rose Wallace (born 1999).
Renowned for his intense temperament and the belief that "the customer is not always right," Ladenis left a lasting impact on a generation of British chefs who went on to secure Michelin stars and achieve commercial success.
His family-operated establishment, Chez Nico, ranked among the top dining venues in the UK, boasting three Michelin Stars, a flawless ten rating in the Good Food Guide, and five AA Rosettes.
Ladenis penned two semi-autobiographical works, My Gastronomy and Nico. His culinary ethos centered on "Precision, Restraint, Simplicity" alongside "Consistency, Consistency, Consistency."
In 1999, due to a prostate cancer diagnosis and dissatisfaction with the dining scene in London, he voluntarily returned his Michelin stars. He retired to the South of France in 2000 before relocating back to England in 2011.
Early life
Born on 22 April 1934 in Tanganyika (present-day Tanzania), Ladenis was of Greek descent.
Career
Without formal culinary education, Ladenis was a self-taught chef. Around 1976 or 1977, while managing his restaurant Chez Nico in Dulwich, London, he connected with chef Michel Roux, who facilitated a week-long stint for him at the three Michelin star restaurant Moulin de Mougins under chef Roger Vergé.
In 1989, he launched Simply Nico, a bistro-style eatery located in Pimlico, London. By 1992, Ladenis became the first chef whose name was attached to a restaurant within a five-star hotel—the Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair. Concurrently, his previous two Michelin star venue on Great Portland Street was transformed into the more casual Nico Central. Chez Nico at 90 Park Lane earned three Michelin stars in 1995.
In 1999, he requested removal from the Michelin guide and surrendered his three stars. He expressed that operating a three-star establishment imposed constraints that hindered creativity and deterred customers due to high costs. This choice was later attributed to his disenchantment with London's culinary environment and his recent prostate cancer diagnosis.
Subsequently, Ladenis opened Incognico on Shaftesbury Avenue in 2000 and Deca on Conduit Street in 2002. He fully retired from restaurant management in 2003; however, his daughters continued their involvement in the family businesses.
Personal life and legacy
Ladenis was married to Dinah-Jane Ladenis; they had two daughters, Isabella and Natasha.
During his tenure, Chez Nico was one of just seven UK restaurants to achieve a perfect ten out of ten score from the Good Food Guide (2013). He also holds the distinction of being the first self-taught chef awarded three Michelin stars.
Nico Ladenis passed away on 10 September 2023 at the age of 89.
Published works
- My Gastronomy (1987), written in collaboration with Alan Crompton-Batt
- Nico (1996), co-written alongside Martin Brigdale