Legendary chef Nico Ladenis has died at the age of 89.
Orginally born in Tanganyika - now Tanzania - in 1934 to Greek parents, Ladenis was a self-taught chef who earned three Michelin stars at his restaurant 90 Park Lane in the 1990s - the first self-taught chef to earn such an achievement. He also gained notoriety for his ‘the customer is not always right’ mantra and uncompromising attitude to his guests.
He was also one of a handful chefs to ever receive a 10 out of 10 score in the Good Food Guide, and went on to train and nurture some of the best chefs in the industry including Marco Pierre-White, Jason Atherton and Andre Garrett.
Although Ladenis experienced his heyday in the 90s with 90 Park Lane, his impressive career started nearly twenty years prior. The chef first opened his eponymous restaurant Chez Nico in 1973, which would go on to receive two Michelin stars. He also opened Simply Nico in Pimlico in 1989, a more relaxed bistro-style affair.
In 1999, Ladenis made the controversial decision to hand back his Michelin stars, asking to be excluded from the guide completely. He spoke publicly about his disillusionment with London's restaurant scene at the time, but he had also been diagnosed with prostate cancer a month before.
Although he went on to open two more restaurants in the years that followed, Nico retired from the restaurant business completely in 2003.
Tributes from chefs, friends and others in the food world have been pouring in since the news was announced.
James Martin posted on X: ‘RIP Nico Ladenis, one of the few true greats of the UK food scene’.
Jamie Oliver commented on Instagram: 'Nico was amazing a trailblazer and a pioneer in the restaurant industry.'
While Paul Flynn of The Tannery said: ‘Sad news that Nico Ladenis has died. I spent 9 of my most formative years with him. He continues to have an influence on my cooking and career. I’m grateful to have had those years of experience in one of the most elite kitchens of its time. #RIPNico What a legacy you left.’
Have you caught up on what happened in the Celebrity MasterChef final? Find out who was crowned the winner of Celebrity MasterChef 2023.