Harvey Ayliffe announced as new 34 head chef

Brown is moving to Wales at the end of the month after nearly three years at the helm of the celebrity favourite South Audley Street venue.

This is not the first position Ayliffe has held at Caprice Holdings: he worked at Le Caprice in the late 1990s with Mark Hix, opened the newly refurbished J Sheekey under the leadership of now chef director Tim Hughes, and later took on the role of sous-chef at The Ivy.

Ayliffe also worked as executive chef at the Soho House Group, collaborating with Nick Jones to launch Dirty Burger, and as head chef at Alfred’s – a private Mayfair members’ club – and Rules restaurant.

Seasonal food passion​

His passion for locally-sourced seasonal ingredients matches 34’s offering, with British ingredients complemented by influences from the East, mainland Europe and South America. For instance, the menu includes seasonal game, fish and steaks cooked on a fuel-fed parrilla grill from Argentina.

The father of three was born in East London but moved to Bexleyheath at a young age. His parents were greengrocers and his father also worked at Covent Garden fruit and vegetable market, and his sister owned and ran a taverna in Corfu, where Harvey went to work every summer holiday.

Ayliffe, who cites Keith Floyd as an early culinary influence, started his cooking career at The Savile Club in Brook Street.

Opened in 2011, 34 is a 100-cover fine dining steak restaurant​​ serving Scottish dry-aged, Wagyu, US prime Creekstone Farm and Argentinean beef, as well as British lamb, seasonal game, fish and seafood.