The chef and restaurateur Nico Ladenis, who has died aged 89, achieved his ultimate ambition of three stars in the Michelin Guide only a few years before his retirement in 1999. He stood out from his peers on many counts, but two deserve especial mention. He came to his profession much later in life than most, not cooking for the public until he was nearly 40 years old; and he was entirely self-taught. His only tutors before opening his first restaurant were a cookery book, Masterpieces of French Cuisine, and a close friend who happened to run a Greek taverna in London, where he spent a few months testing the waters in 1972. From the outset, his intent was to earn three Michelin stars – in his eyes, the sole litmus-test of classical French cuisine – and he pursued this goal in a succession of London restaurants of increasing standing and elaboration.
While embracing the tenets of haute cuisine, and reserving particular affection for its luxury items, such as foie gras, truffles, mushrooms and shellfish, Nico was open to a wider world of flavours thanks to his childhood years in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), spent eating tropical fruits, spices and wild animals. This informed some of his cookery, giving it a greater range than his colleagues’ as well as ensuring, perhaps, a depth of flavour in his sauces, soups and sweet dishes that was his trademark and chief attraction.
