Writing on Twitter, the chef says ‘the time has come’ for him to move on. It is not clear what his next move will be, but Cenci says that he is planning to take some time off.
Cenci cooked at London’s Noble Rot and Michelin-starred Restaurant Laurent in Paris before joining Duck & Waffle as senior sous chef ahead of the sky-high restaurant’s opening in 2012.
He worked alongside then-executive chef Dan Doherty to develop the menu, which included ox cheek doughnuts and foie gras crème brulee. During his tenure Duck & Waffle ranked 29th in Restaurant magazine's National Restaurant Awards top 100 list in 2016.
Cenci was promoted to executive chef in 2017 after Doherty took on a broader chef director role, though Doherty himself left the restaurant earlier this year.
“[Duck & Waffle was] a truly amazing experience that I couldn't have done without the amazing team around me,” Cenci wrote.
“I hope to announce some exciting news soon but until then I will be taking some time off to spend with family & friends
“Thank you to everyone who dined with us over the years and for all your support. There are way too many people to mention on here but thank you to those that have supported myself and the restaurant.”
Daniel Barbosa has now taken over as Duck and Waffle's executive chef.
The restaurant is owned by Samba Brands, which also operates Sushisamba.