Barbie Releases Chef Doll Inspired by Hélène Darroze

Acclaimed French chef Hélène Darroze — who owns and operates a handful of Michelin darlings in Paris, London, and Moscow — is one of the inspirations behind a new line of Barbie dolls that Mattel is releasing to celebrate International Women’s Day.

According to an announcement about these dolls, Barbie wants to honor “women who have broken boundaries in their fields and have been an inspiration to the next generation of girls.” Darroze definitely fits the bill: She took over the kitchen of her family’s celebrated restaurant as a young chef, and later opened an eponymous restaurant in Paris which earned a coveted two-star rating from the Michelin Guide. In 2012, after two and a half decades in the kitchen, Darroze was admitted to the French Legion of Honor.

Mattel

The Barbie team has not explained why Darroze, specifically, was selected as the culinary role model, but a rep notes that all the dolls were inspired by “courageous women who took risks, changed rules, and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before.” Sadly, unlike some of her counterparts, it appears as though Barbie Darroze does not come with any accessories — a paring knife or a pair of long kitchen tweezers would have been a nice touch.

The new lineup of role model-inspired dolls also includes Barbie likenesses of Wonder Woman filmmaker Patty Jenkins, professional golfer Lorena Ochoa, conservationist Bindi Irwin, and gold medal-winning snowboarder/junk food fanatic Chloe Kim.

• Barbie® Honors Global Role Models On International Women’s Day [Barbie]
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