People on the move: November 2017

Shaun Rankin​

Shaun Rankin has confirmed he has cut ties with Ormer Jersey​​ after his ideas became ‘incompatible’ with the planned direction of the Michelin-starred restaurant. The chef said he was ‘extremely sad’ the four-year partnership had come to an end after a newly-formed shareholder group decided to rethink the site, with plans to turn the next-door deli in to an 'unfussy' dining room. Rankin will now be based in London where he will continue to work on Ormer Mayfair, which he opened at the Flemings hotel​​ in 2016.

Richard Hodgson​

YO! Sushi has hired former Pizza Express boss Richard Hodgson​​ to lead the company as it prepares to ramp up its international expansion. Current chief executive Robin Rowland will step down from his role after 18 years at the group, but will remain on board as non-executive director. It comes after YO! announced its £52.9m acquisition of North America’s Bento Sushi ​​chain last week, creating one of the world’s largest sushi companies outside Japan. Hodgson said he was excited to join the group at the ‘pivotal point’ in its development.

Pete Grey​

Pete Grey has been named as the new head chef​ ​at Heston Blumenthal’s upmarket Bray pub The Hind’s Head. The chef, whose CV includes spells under Paul Kitching and Adam Simmonds, has been part of the kitchen team for nearly four years and replaced Janos Veres in the role at the end of the month. It comes after the Berkshire restaurant reopened earlier this year following a complete refurb​.​

Guy Betteridge​

Former Gordon Ramsay Group chef Guy Betteridge has been appointed head chef at South Place Hotel’s Chop House​​ restaurant. He joins from a role at London restaurant Bronte, and was previously at GRG for seven years, progressing to head chef at Heddon Street Kitchen where he stayed until January this year. The chef has already introduced new dishes to Chop House’s British menu, including slow roasted belly of old spot pork with apple sauce; and poached sea trout with leeks, cockles and coastal herbs.

Benjamin Hofer and Daniele Quattromini​

The Corinthia Hotel London has announced two senior appointments within its food and beverage department. Benjamin Hofer is the new director of F&B, having previously held the same role at London’s Hotel Cafe Royal from 2016-17. He also worked as restaurant director with chef Simon Rogan at Fera at Claridge’s (2014-15), which won a Michelin star within four months of launch.

Daniele Quattromini has taken on the role of operations manager at The Northall, the hotel’s British restaurant, bar and private dining room. He was previously F&B director at Cliveden House in Berkshire, where he was responsible for Andre Garrett’s restaurant The Aster Grill. Quattromini also won the Gold Service Scholarship in 2015.

Susanto Bhattacharya​

Susanto Bhattacharya, known as Sunny, is the new head chef at The Tudor Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club in Bearsted, near Maidstone. The Indian-born chef's career includes stints cooking at Raymond Blanc’s first Brasserie Blanc restaurant in London, the seven-star Burj Al Arab in Dubai, and The Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge. He is now heading up a 13-strong team of chefs and will oversee the menus at the hotel’s restaurant and bar, as well as catering for up to 250 people at events and private functions.