Catarina Almeida
Former Petersham Nurseries chef Catarina Almeida (pictured above) has been appointed head chef at Isabel Mayfair. Almeida and her team have developed a new menu to coincide with the official start of summer, which draws on Almeida’s experience growing up family farms in her native Portugal as well as cooking techniques passed down through generations that have shaped her outlook. Rather than focusing on a single country or cuisine, the menu draws upon the diverse cultures that surround the Mediterranean. “I want each dish to tell a story, whether that’s through the ingredients, the place that inspired it, or the memories and traditions its connected to” says Almeida. “Mediterranean food is about more than recipes; it’s about bringing people together around the table and creating moments that are meant to be shared.”
Chris Whitmore
Chris Whitmore has been appointed head chef at the Scarlet Hotel in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall. With a fine-dining background, his experience includes roles at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze and Jason Atherton’s The Social Group, working in London, Hong Kong and Qatar. In 2019, he stepped away from professional kitchens to establish his own market garden and food forest, supplying sustainable produce to local restaurants. At Scarlet, Whitmore will oversee menus designed as a ‘daily celebration of nature’s bounty’, aligning well with his own seasonal approach to cooking. “We’re excited to welcome Chris to the team,” says Tom Hunter, head of food for Red Hotels. “His appointment is less about a new direction and more about how closely he aligns with our ethos and how he can bring that to life through his food.”
Steve Darou
Swinton Estate has appointed Steve Darou as executive head chef. Darou joins from St John restaurants in London, where he spent 12 years. His experience there is set to further strengthen Swinton’s estate-to-plate ethos, championing whole-animal butchery and ensuring the estate’s produce is used with integrity and minimal waste. A key focus of Darou’s role will be developing the wider kitchen team’s understanding of locally sourced ingredients and how best to showcase the region’s produce. Alongside Darou’s arrival, Josh Barnes will conclude his time at the Chef’s Table at Swinton on 5 July. During his tenure, the Chef’s Table was awarded three AA Rosettes and received Michelin recognition.
EATDRINKSLEEP
EATDRINKSLEEP (EDS), the operator of The Gurnards Head and The Old Coastguard, both located in Cornwall, and The Felin Fach Griffin in Wales, has created a new executive chef, Cornwall, role and appointed Max Wilson to the position. Wilson, who has been head chef at The Gurnard’s Head since 2016 after previously leading the kitchen at The Felin Fach Griffin from 2014, will oversee the food offer across both The Gurnard’s Head and The Old Coastguard. His new role will focus on menu development, chef training and the overall direction of the food across the two Cornish sites. The move is part of a wider kitchen restructure that also sees two internal promotions. Chris Angove, who joined EDS as a chef de partie in 2021 and progressed to senior sous chef in 2025, will replace Wilson as head chef at The Gurnard’s Head. Meanwhile, Oliver Gardner has been promoted from senior sous chef to head chef at The Old Coastguard, taking over from Danny Garland. Gardner has worked with EDS on and off for two decades, first joining as a kitchen porter in 2006 and returning to The Old Coastguard in 2016.
Owen Seamark
Bristol-based contemporary French restaurant Lapin has appointed Owen Seamark as its new head chef, just over a year after its doors first opened at Wapping Wharf. Seamark’s experience includes time at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant in Mayfair, as well as Tom Kerridge’s two Michelin-starred The Hand & Flowers in Marlow. He also spent six years at Heckfield Place in Hampshire, where he worked under Skye Gyngell and progressed from senior chef de partie to head chef of the estate’s open-fire cooking restaurant, Hearth. During this time Seamark developed his knowledge of cooking both seasonally and responsibly within 438 acres of Hampshire countryside, where the team grows fruit and vegetables, raises cattle and produces eggs and dairy. He has also collaborated with Jackson Boxer, Merlin Labron-Johnson and Niklas Ekstedt as part of the restaurant’s celebrated ‘Hearth Supper’ series. Seamark’s appointment will allow executive chef and co-owner Jack Briggs-Horan to focus more on the strategic development of Lapin and BANK Bristol alongside owner and founder Dan O’Regan.
Emma Weekes
Market Halls has appointed Emma Weekes as sales and marketing director as the UK food hall operator enters a major phase of growth and national expansion. Weekes will lead the group’s sales and marketing strategy, supporting plans to expand to 10 sites by 2028 and achieve £100m in revenue within the next two years. Bringing 17 years of experience across hospitality, events, sales and marketing, Weekes has held senior commercial roles at Novus Leisure and Street Feast and has advised a number of hospitality brands. She will work closely with CEO Dan Hills and founder and executive director Andy Lewis Pratt with a focus on brand development, sales and partnership growth, and customer engagement.
Joe Walker
Herts Pubs Company has appointed Joe Walker as executive chef, overseeing the kitchen team at The Cock in Hitchin and supporting the Hertfordshire-based hospitality group as it prepares for further expansion, including the opening of a second site later this year. Walker has previously held senior positions at Hermitage Road in Hitchin and The Dial House in Reepham, as well as leading the brigade at the two AA Rosette Wernher Restaurant at Luton Hoo Hotel. In 2020, he joined Simmer Eats as head of food operations, helping grow the business from its early beginnings in a small Hitchin kitchen to becoming one of Europe’s fastest-growing food businesses by 2025. In his new position, he will lead the development and execution of menus across the group, focusing on a commitment to British produce. He will also oversee the training and development of both front- and back-of-house teams.
Elton Zaka
Asian-inspired rooftop restaurant CÉ LA VI in Paddington Square has appointed Elton Zaka as executive chef. Bringing 19 years of culinary experience, Zaka joins the restaurant following roles at SushiSamba London, Nobu Old Park Lane and Amazónico, having also worked in Greece at Solymar Restaurant and Romanakia in Athens and Andronikos Hotel in Mykonos. At CÉ LA VI, Zaka will oversee menu development, kitchen operations and team mentorship, with a focus on consistency and creativity.