Didier Elena Named Chefs Club USA Director

Didier Elena, the executive chef for the Chefs Club Aspen since March, has been named the culinary director for Chefs Club USA. The concept restaurant by Food & Wine features curated menus by the “Best New Chefs,” and is the flagship location for the restaurant. But, Elena will help to oversee the launch of a second spot in New York City, which will open in spring of 2014. He will continue to manage the Aspen location, and Todd Slossberg has been named the executive chef.

Slossberg comes to Chefs Club from Plato’s, the Aspen Meadows restaurant, where he has been for four years. He has previously been recognized by Bon Appétit and Food & Wine, and while at Aspen’s Hotel Jerome he received two consecutive nominations for “Best Chef Southwest” from the James Beard Foundation.

Elena, a native of Monaco, spent 20 years working alongside celebrated chef Alain Ducasse in a number of roles, including executive chef of Restaurant Alain Ducasse at The Essex House, New York and Culinary Consultant for the Alain Ducasse Restaurant Group.