Rizzo named as world’s best female chef

Brazilian former model joins Nadia Santini, Elena Arzak and Anna-Sophie Pic in the Veuve Clicquot hall of fame

Helena Rizzo, Veuve Clicquot World’s Best Femal Chef 2014
Helena Rizzo, Veuve Clicquot World’s Best Femal Chef 2014

Helena Rizzo's experience in front of a camera was put to good use when she was named 2014 Veuve Clicquot World's Best Female Chef this week. The Brazilian-born chef moved to Sao Paulo at the age of 18 to look for work as a model, and helped out in kitchens part time before choosing cooking as her career. Rizzo was last year named best female chef in Latin America. She works alongside her husband, Spanish chef Daniel Redondo, at Maní restaurant in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Both have worked at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, which currently holds the number one slot in the San Pellegrino world restaurant awards, having knocked Noma in Copenhagen off the top spot last year. The new rankings will be revealed an awards ceremony in London's Guildhall on April 28th.

Marie Claire Digby

Marie Claire Digby

Marie Claire Digby is the former Senior Food Writer at The Irish Times