Helena Puolakka – Skylon

Chef: Helena Puolakka

Restaurant: Skylon

Tel: 020 7654 7800

Helena Puolakka took on the role of executive chef at Skylon, D&D London’s restaurant at the Royal Festival Hall, in spring 2007, moving from Harvey Nichols’ Fifth Floor restaurant in Knightsbridge. Having moved to London from her native Finland she took on her first role as a commis chef at Aubergine under Gordon Ramsay before joining sister restaurant L’Oranger. In 1996, she moved to La Tante Claire, working as sous chef to its chef-patron Pierre Koffmann. A stint with Pierre Gagnaire at his three Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris followed, before she returned to La Tante Claire as head chef. In 2002 she moved to neighbourhood restaurant Sonny’s in Barnes, before joining the Harvey Nichols group in 2005. At the Royal Festival Hall, she heads up a team of 30, split into two teams to serve the fine-dining restaurant and the grill and bar.