Ariane Daguin

Ariane Daguin was born into a world of great food. Her father, André Daguin, chef-owner of the Hotel de France in Auch, Gascony, is famous throughout France for his artistry with foie gras and other Gascon specialties.

A career in food might have seemed natural, but Ariane decided to pursue an academic degree at Columbia University. While working part-time for a New York pâté producer, Ariane was in the right place when the opportunity to market the first domestically-produced foie gras presented itself. In 1985 she gathered her financial resources and love of food and launched D’Artagnan, virtually the only purveyor of game and foie gras in the U.S. at the time. The creation of D’Artagnan coincided with a growing sophistication in American cuisine and an increased interest in organic, free-range chicken and humanely raised veal.

In addition to running D’Artagnan, developing new products and researching innovative and ecologically responsible methods of production, Ariane is founding president of Les Nouvelles Mères Cuisinières, an international association of prestigious women chefs. She is also active in a number of other organizations. In 2005, Ariane received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from Bon Appetit Magazine, and in September 2006, she was awarded the French Legion d'Honneur.