Ashley Palmer-Watts
Ashley Palmer-Watts has left his role heading up Heston Blumenthal’s UK restaurant empire after almost 20 years. In a statement posted on Twitter the chef wrote that it was time for him to “move on for a new chapter”. Palmer-Watts joined The Fat Duck in Bray in 2001 during the restaurant’s ascendancy to three-Michelin-star status. He became head chef in 2003 at the age of 25 and oversaw the opening of London’s Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in 2011. There has been no news yet of his future plans.
Sam Ward
Sam Ward has been appointed managing director of Simon Rogan’s UMBEL Restaurant Group, overseeing the company’s eight sites in the Lake District, London and Hong Kong. Ward began his career as a bar manager for Rogan at the age of 22, before moving to London to work as a sommelier at The Ritz. He has spent a total of nine years at the UMBEL Group and recently spearheaded the opening of Roganic and Aulis in Hong Kong.
Tom Crowley
Tom Crowley is to step down as CEO of Boparan Restaurant Group after three years in the role. During his tenure Crowley oversaw a slimming down of the company’s estate, including the sale of fish and chip chain Harry Ramsden’s to Deep Blue Restaurants in 2019. Satnam Leihal will now head up Boparan as managing director, having worked for the company since 2017.
Malin de Silva
MasterChef: The Professionals 2019 semi-finalist Malin de Silva has joined Kolamba in London’s Soho as head chef. His CV includes a year and a half cooking with Matt Worswick at The Latymer at Pennyhill Park in Surrey, and almost a year at Marc Wilkinson's at Fraiche in Oxton.
Callum Graham
MasterChef: The Professionals 2018 contestant Callum Graham is to take over as head chef at Bohemia Restaurant in St Helier, Jersey. He will join the Michelin-starred dining room next month as part of the recent shuffle that saw Bohemia's former chef Steve Smith replace Matt Worswick at The Latymer at Pennyhill Park in Surrey. Graham’s CV includes stints at The Lanesborough hotel in London and at Le Celadon in Paris.
Lawrence McCarthy
Lawrence McCarthy is the new head chef at The Salt Room restaurant in Brighton. He has a background in fine dining and joins from Michelin-starred Tristan’s in Horsham. McCarthy spent six years at The Ledbury under Brett Graham, and cooked at Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley. He will launch his new menu at The Salt Room on 20 February.
Wilderness, Birmingham
Sonal Clare, former restaurant manager at Michelin-starred Purnell’s in Birmingham, has been appointed general manager and head sommelier at The Wilderness in Birmingham. He joins the team ahead of their move to a larger site later in the year. The long-standing restaurant manager of The Wilderness, Loubie Goldie, will continue in her role for the business, with recently announced addition Marius Gedminas completing the senior team.
Meanwhile Marius Gedminas is to join the team as head chef later this year, replacing recent MasterChef: The Professionals winner Stu Deeley when he leaves to open his own site.
Shane Kavanagh
The CEO of the Crussh health food and juice chain is to step down ahead of the ‘next phase of development’ for the company. Shane Kavanagh will leave his role in February after four years at the helm to take on a “new challenge”. During his tenure Crussh grew its high street estate from 28 to 35 sites, launched a retail range with Sainsbury’s, and signed deals with SSP and Sodexo.
Simon Hardie
Simon Hardie is the new executive pastry chef at the Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill. Originally from Australia, Hardie has over ten years’ experience working in luxury hotels including the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne, Hilton Sydney, and Rosewood London. His new role will include overseeing The Montagu Kitchen’s baking and dessert operations, planning menus and training assistant pastry chefs.