Elen Dupuy
Living: Cardiff
Occupation: Translator.
Elen was born in Cardiff where she attended Bryntaf Primary School before going to ysgol Gyfun Glantaf. During her childhood, her parents ran a hotel "Llety Cymro" in the Capital. They spent a lot of time in France and now her parents have moved to live there.
She studied French and Drama for A Level, but since she didn't want to go to University, she spent a year in Belgium working as an au pair.
Elen returned to Wales fairly fluent in French and with an entrepreneur grant from the government, she started the first au pair and nanny service in South Wales. The office opened in Cardiff in 1989 with just a phone, fax and a pencil! Three years later the walls of her office were covered with post cards from au pairs across the world.
During this time, Elen met her husband Francis and it was their dream to open a restaurant one day. In 1992 their first child Marianne was born followed by Ifan in 1995.
In 1998 their dream came true when they opened Le Gallois in partnership with Elen's parents and her brother Padrig, an accomplished chef. For more information go to www.legallois-ycymro.com.
In 2005 they opened France Galles, a shop specialising in all things French with an exceptional selection of French wines, and in 2006 Café France Galles was opened.
For more information go to www.francegalles.com.