South African receives one of the French Republic’s most prestigious state honours

·18 Jun 2026

South African chef Chantel Dartnall has been knighted in France, having been appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite by decree of the President of the French Republic.

The Ordre national du Mérite, or National Order of Merit in English, is the second-highest national order in the country, after the Legion of Honour.

It is awarded by the French president to individuals across different spheres, and can be given to foreign nationals. The Legion of Honour, meanwhile, is reserved for French citizens.

The honour was established by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963 to create an award for French citizens and foreign nationals for distinguished civil or military achievements.

It carries different ranks—Knight, Officer and Commander—with additional designations for the higher ranks.

Dartnall was awarded the honour of Knight (Chevalier) in May 2026, among four other foreign nationals living in France.

Dartnall is a multi-award-winning chef, having been named top chef in South Africa in the Eat Out awards twice.

She has also been named the best female chef in the world in the Luxury Travel Guide Awards, and has ranked highly in The Best Chef Awards.

She is best known for founding her own culinary sanctuary at Restaurant Mosaic, a fine-dining experience housed at The Orient in Pretoria until 2021.

She left South Africa in 2021 to join her family in taking over the reins of the historic Château des Tesnières, a neo-Renaissance 19th-century castle and countryside holding in the commune of Torcé in the Brittany region of France.

The château was built in the 1860s by Count Ferdinand de Langle and his brother Alphonse, with the property having been in the family since as far back as 1697.

It exchanged hands several times in the following 150 years, ultimately being sold to the Dartnall family in 2021.

Dartnall graduated from Prue Leith College of Food and Wine in 2000 and said she knew she wanted to work in a Michelin-starred kitchen.

She was awarded a scholarship from the World Association of Chefs’ Societies to study at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island, USA.

From there, she went to London, where she worked under Chef Nico Ladenis at his three-star Michelin restaurant, Chez Nico, at 90 Park Lane in London.

She also worked with Michael Caines at Gidleigh Park in Devon, a two-star Michelin establishment, and chefs such as Ladenis, Alain Ducasse and Marco Pierre White.

Celebration of French culture

Taking ownership of Château des Tesnières, the Dartnall family’s vision was to renovate the property over five years and transform it into a luxurious and exclusive hotel.

It is also the new home of Restaurant Mosaic.

The château serves as a fairy-tale-esque setting for showcasing Dartnall’s culinary expertise. The restaurant is now pursuing a Michelin Star.

It’s this love and celebration of French culture which put Dartnall on the radar for the National Order of Merit.

“As a South African who has always looked to France with admiration for its extraordinary culture, gastronomy and art de vivre, receiving this distinction is an immense privilege,” Dartnall said.

“It is a moment that I could never have imagined when my culinary journey first began.”

The chef attributed the merit to not just her own passions, but also those of her family and the team at Restaurant Mosaic and Château des Tesnières.

“Moving from South Africa to Brittany to create a new chapter for Mosaic has been one of the greatest adventures of my life,” she said.

“To be welcomed so warmly by France, a country that has inspired my vision of gastronomy for so many years, is a gift for which I will always be grateful.”

She added that Château des Tesnières will continue to be a place of convergence for art, nature, hospitality and gastronomy, “and where cultures can meet around the table”.

“I hope to continue sharing this passion and to honour the values that this distinction represents,” she said.