He will replace Michael Carr, who had led the kitchen at the British contemporary fine dining restaurant since September 2020, but recently moved on to take up the role of executive head chef at The Old Vol gastropub in Nottingham.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Fenchurch team,” says Gumbs.
“It is a beautiful and iconic venue with so much to give, and I’m really looking forward to putting my own stamp on the menu.”
Gumbs, who has worked with Tom Aikens and Jason Atherton in the past, was most recently head chef at restaurant and cocktail bar Boiler & Co. on London's Southbank, which launched in November last year,
Prior to that he led the kitchen at Ormer Mayfair.
A Le Cordon Bleu graduate, he was also crowned champion of the London and South East region on BBC Two’s Great British Menu in 2020, making it to the national finals; and he has recently been announced as one of the judges for BBC Three’s new Young MasterChef, due to air in 2023.
“We have long admired Kerth and we are so pleased to have him on board,” says PB Jacobse, CEO of Rhubarb Hospitality Collection, which runs Fenchurch Restaurant.
“His innovative and modern approach to fine dining adn immaculate presentation skills will be a real asset and I know he will take Fenchurch to new heights.”