The appointment sees Mallya – who continues to report to the world-famous London restaurant and hotel’s executive chef John Williams – become second in command of a brigade of more than 60 chefs.
Mallya has been part of the kitchen team for over 13 years, starting his journey as an apprentice in January 2012 at the age of 18.
Williams helped him to enrol at the Bournemouth and Poole College, where he completed the three-year specialised chef scholarship programme.
Mallya gained experience in all sections of the kitchen, mastering the fundamentals, and swiftly progressed through the ranks from commis chef, demi chef de partie, chef de partie and premier chef de partie, before being appointed sous chef in 2016.
Demonstrating “superb discipline and passion”, Mallya was promoted to premier sous chef in 2021, before becoming executive sous chef in 2023, having “developed into a true leader and mentor within the kitchen”.
“This promotion is very well deserved. Deepak has been instrumental in driving our menus at The Ritz forward and continuously inspiring the kitchen and service teams to evolve,” Williams says. “His creativity has helped to shape the culinary standards that our guests have come to expect and love.”
Mallya says: “I am incredibly proud to be appointed head chef at The Ritz London. 2025 has been The Ritz Restaurant’s best year so far, achieving the second Michelin star and being named restaurant of the year at the National Restaurant Awards. I’m really excited by this new challenge and am not going to stop striving to be better.”