nouvelles

Award-winning South African chef Chantel Dartnall opens a remarkable new gastronomic destination in Brittany, where art, nature, history, and fine dining converge.

Internationally acclaimed chef Chantel Dartnall has embarked on an extraordinary new chapter, bringing her celebrated botanical cuisine to the heart of Brittany, France. Following years of planning and a decade-long search for the perfect European home, the award-winning South African chef has opened Mosaic Restaurant at Château des Tesnières, an intimate fine dining destination that is already captivating France’s culinary landscape.

Set within the beautifully restored Château des Tesnières near Rennes, Mosaic welcomed its first guests in May 2025. More than simply a restaurant, it offers an immersive experience where gastronomy, art, heritage, and hospitality blend seamlessly. The château also features six individually designed luxury suites, each inspired by legendary historical and mythical figures.

A Culinary Garden Inspired by Nature

For Chantel Dartnall, cooking has always been an artistic expression rooted in emotion and the natural world.

“Cooking becomes an art the moment it’s seasoned with soul.”

This philosophy defines every element of her cuisine. Known internationally for her floral, botanical approach, Dartnall transforms ingredients into poetic works of art. Aromatic herbs, edible flowers, wild botanicals, magnolia blossoms, hibiscus, lemongrass, and basil become more than ingredients—they become storytellers.

Her tasting menus read like chapters from an enchanted forest, with creations such as Whispers of the Forest Pigeons and Journey to Brocéliande, inviting guests on a sensory exploration where each course evokes place, memory, and imagination.

A South African Vision, Reimagined for France

Although the restaurant proudly shares its name with her renowned Pretoria establishment, the French Mosaic is not a replica. Instead, it represents an evolution of Chantel’s culinary philosophy.

With just twenty seats, the restaurant offers an intimate dining experience that combines the precision and creativity developed in South Africa with exceptional French ingredients. Native French produce—including outstanding pigeon, Brittany seafood, and seasonal vegetables—has inspired a refined style featuring gentler seasoning, greater delicacy, and subtle elegance.

The move to France also carries personal significance. The Dartnall family’s decade-long search eventually uncovered a remarkable ancestral connection to Brittany through the Plessis family, whose lineage included a pastry chef who emigrated from France to South Africa generations ago. Discovering Château des Tesnières during the Covid-19 pandemic felt less like coincidence and more like destiny.

Rooted in the Land

Central to Chantel’s philosophy is an unwavering commitment to local producers.

From the celebrated oysters of Cancale to nearby market gardeners, every ingredient is carefully selected for quality and provenance. At Château des Tesnières, the team also cultivates its own flourishing kitchen garden, growing vegetables alongside edible flowers that allow the chef to introduce botanical elements unavailable during her years in South Africa.

The result is cuisine that feels deeply connected to Brittany while remaining unmistakably Chantel Dartnall.

International Recognition Continues

Chantel Dartnall’s arrival in France follows an already distinguished international career.

Named World’s Best Female Chef in 2017, she also received the title of Chef of the Year for South Africa and the Middle East from the Luxury Travel Guide Awards. Ranked 32nd in the world by The Best Chef Awards that same year, she became one of the highest-ranked female chefs globally and one of only three women to feature in the prestigious Top 50.

Her excellence continues to be recognised through her inclusion in La Liste 2026–2027, one of the world’s most respected gastronomic rankings.

In 2026, France further honoured her contributions by appointing her a Chevalier of the Ordre National du Mérite, one of the country’s highest civilian distinctions. She was also invited to the French Presidential Palace for a second time during the State Visit of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on 10 July 2026.

A Family United by Creativity

Behind every exceptional restaurant stands an exceptional team.

Mosaic reflects Chantel’s belief that great gastronomy is built on loyalty, collaboration, and kindness. Five South African colleagues chose to relocate to France to continue working alongside the chef they affectionately call “Chef Chantel.”

Her family has been equally instrumental, with her parents and sister working alongside her throughout the restoration of Château des Tesnières.

In the kitchen, long-time collaborator Johanna continues to anchor the culinary team after fifteen years beside Chantel, while pastry chef Antro Davel brings remarkable precision and artistry to the restaurant’s desserts. Young talents Morgan, a Silwood School graduate, and Molly, finalist on The Tastemaster SA, contribute fresh perspectives and creative energy.

In the dining room, Kgomotso Surprise Nkabinde delivers the warm hospitality that has characterised Chantel’s restaurants for seventeen years, working alongside maître d’ Amélie Dufresne, whose training at the renowned Maison PIC enriches the guest experience.

Completing the journey is an exceptional wine programme curated by South African head sommelier René Veldhuizen and Breton sommelier Hugo Betin.

Where Every Plate Becomes a Painting

An avid art collector, Chantel approaches every dish with the eye of a painter.

Each element is positioned with extraordinary precision, creating compositions that balance colour, texture, movement, and emotion. Her Grande Dégustation menu unfolds like a carefully orchestrated performance, beginning with poetic preludes before progressing through elegant seafood, seasonal vegetables, signature pigeon dishes, and beautifully composed desserts.

The result is dining that engages every sense—not simply through flavour, but through visual storytelling.

Art Beyond the Kitchen

The artistic experience extends throughout Château des Tesnières.

The estate houses more than one thousand works from the Dartnall family collection, including bronze sculptures by Tienie Pritchard and an impressive collection of South African Impressionist paintings, particularly those of Adriann Boshoff.

Inspired by the luminous quality of artists such as Joaquín Sorolla, Chantel has created an environment where culinary and visual arts exist in constant dialogue.

Looking ahead, the family plans to open a dedicated museum adjacent to the château in 2027, introducing French audiences to one of South Africa’s most significant private art collections.

An Extraordinary Wine Cellar

Hidden beneath the château lies one of France’s most remarkable private wine collections.

Maintained at a constant 14°C, Mosaic’s cellar houses approximately 37,000 bottles, ranging from legendary Bordeaux vintages to prestigious Champagnes and exceptional international wines.

Head Sommelier René Veldhuizen continues to expand the collection, sourcing outstanding wines from across the globe while crafting pairings that perfectly complement Chantel’s botanical cuisine.

Together, the cellar and the kitchen establish Mosaic as one of France’s most compelling new gastronomic destinations.

A New Landmark in French Gastronomy

With Mosaic at Château des Tesnières, Chantel Dartnall has achieved something truly distinctive: a destination where culinary artistry, South African heritage, French tradition, architecture, nature, and fine art exist in complete harmony.

It is more than a restaurant—it is an immersive celebration of creativity, craftsmanship, and the universal language of exceptional hospitality.

For discerning travellers and lovers of fine dining alike, Mosaic offers not simply a meal, but an unforgettable journey through one of Europe’s most exciting new culinary destinations.