The Chef 

Then & Now

 In 1986, Chef Didier Durand arrived in Chicago and worked at many of the area’s finest French restaurants until opening Cyrano's Bistrot in 1996 in Chicago's River North neighborhood. 

 

The restaurant was named after the celebrated Frenchman Cyrano de Bergerac who was a legendary dramatist, poet, and duelist from Bergerac, Chef Didier’s birthplace.

After 15 years, along with his wife, Jamie Pellar Durand, he bought a farm in Indiana where he could source and grow many local ingredients. He re-conceived the Bistrot into Cyrano’s Farm Kitchen as a result. He did not want to renew his lease, so, the pair sold the restaurant in 2015, after 20 years in business.

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Chef Didier’s motto is “Good food makes people happy.”  He has been making people happy with his delicious cooking in Chicago for more than 20 years and although he closed Cyrano's Farm Kitchen, he has branched out as a personal chef, cooking for parties, wedding, personal and corporate events, while looking for a full-time chef position.

 

"As soon as I was not tied to the daily duties of running a restaurant, I started to get calls asking if I was available to cook in people's homes or at an event. I never had the time before to consider being the chef at a wedding! In my case, when one kitchen door closed, more are opening!"

 

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