Ariane Daguin

Ariane Daguin was born into a world of great food. Her father, Andre 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 pate producer, Ariane was in the right place when the opportunity to market the first domestically-produced foie gras presented itself. In 1985 she launched D'Artagnan, 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. At the vanguard of the farm-to-table movement, today D'Artagnan is the leading purveyor of organic poultry, game, foie gras, pates, sausages, smoked delicacies, and wild mushrooms to the nation.

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 Meres Cuisinieres, an international association of prestigious women chefs, and she is on the board of City Harvest. Recognized in 1994 by The James Beard Foundation "Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America," Ariane is now a member of the Awards Committee. In 2005, Ariane received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from Bon Appetit Magazine, and in September 2006, she was awarded the French Legion d'Honneur.

Ariane has been a guest on several TV shows, including two appearances on Martha Stewart's show, and No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. She hosted an episode of the Food Network's My Country, My Kitchen, in which she traveled to her native Gascony to examine the food culture there.