Chef Thierry Laborde
Behind every great restaurant stands a kitchen shaped by conviction. At Mazarine, that conviction belongs to Thierry Laborde — a chef whose career has traced the highest arc of French gastronomy, from Monaco to Mayfair, and whose presence in our kitchen defines the standard to which every dish is held.
Thierry does not chase trends. He honours tradition, refines technique, and lets the quality of each ingredient speak with clarity. It is an approach forged across three decades in the most demanding kitchens in the world — and it is the reason Mazarine's menu carries the weight it does.
The Journey
Three Decades at the Highest Level
Thierry Laborde's formation began at the pinnacle: Le Louis XV in Monaco, under the direction of Alain Ducasse, where he absorbed the discipline and precision of a three-Michelin-starred kitchen. It was here that the foundations were set — the insistence on provenance, the respect for the sea, the understanding that great cuisine begins long before the plate.
From Monaco, Thierry moved to London and Le Gavroche, where he served as Head Chef under the legendary Albert Roux — a role he earned before the age of thirty. Le Gavroche, then as now, remains the defining institution of classical French cooking in Britain. To lead its kitchen at that age was a statement of rare ability.
In 2003, Thierry was awarded a Michelin star at L'Oranger on St James's Street — recognition of a chef whose command of classical technique had matured into something distinctly his own. The star confirmed what the industry already knew: Thierry Laborde belonged among London's finest.
He went on to help launch La Petite Maison in London, bringing the vibrant flavours of Nice and the Côte d'Azur to Mayfair and helping to establish what would become one of the city's most celebrated French restaurants. Later, with Chabrot Bistro d'Amis, Thierry pioneered London's 'Bistronomy' movement — proving that Michelin-level technique could live within a setting of warmth and conviviality, without sacrificing an ounce of rigour.
At Mazarine
Coastal French Mastery
Today, Thierry brings the full measure of this experience to Mazarine — a kitchen built around the cuisine he knows most intimately: the coastal traditions of France.
The menu at Mazarine reflects decades of accumulated craft. Each dish is an exercise in clarity and restraint — from the precision of Sole de Douvres Classique, grilled or meunière, to the theatre of Bar en Croûte de Sel, whole sea bass baked in a salted crust. The Bouillabaisse Classique draws on Provençal tradition with the depth that only long experience can produce. The Croque Mazarine — black truffle, blue lobster — is Thierry's signature reinterpretation of a French classic.
Thierry oversees every service with the same exacting care — whether for a full dining room or a private evening of eight. The standard does not shift. The kitchen runs on discipline, respect for the ingredient, and the quiet understanding that consistency, night after night, is the truest mark of excellence.
Philosophy
"The sea gives you everything — but only if you know how to listen."
Thierry's philosophy is rooted in the belief that the finest seafood demands the lightest hand. His approach is classical in structure, seasonal in its rhythm, and uncompromising in its pursuit of quality. Provenance is not a marketing decision — it is the foundation. The oysters, the langoustines, the Dover sole, the sea bass: each is sourced with the same scrutiny that defined the kitchens where Thierry learned his craft.
At Mazarine, this philosophy extends beyond the plate. It shapes the pace of the kitchen, the composition of the wine list, the way the evening unfolds. It is the reason our guests return — not merely for what they eat, but for the conviction they sense behind it.
Visit the Kitchen
Experience Chef Thierry's Cuisine
Experience Chef Thierry Laborde's cuisine at Mazarine, 22 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JA — in the heart of Mayfair, moments from Bond Street.