Marius Gedminas to replace Stu Deeley as The Wilderness head chef

He will assume the role later this year, replacing recent MasterChef: The Professionals winner Stu Deeley.

Deeley announced he was stepping down from the role just before Christmas, with a plan to open his own restaurant in Birmingham​​ early this year.

Gedminas joined The Wilderness in 2019 as a sous chef, having previously held positions at Tom’s Kitchen’s Birmingham site, and Adam Stokes' Michelin starred Adam's Restaurant.

His experience prior to that includes working as a chef de partie at Brooklands Hotel, Surrey, under the leadership of Nick Sinclair.

“Working for The Wilderness has allowed me to be a part of an experience where dining out is a process of storytelling with food; an experience I find extremely rewarding to be part of as a chef,” says Gedminas.

“There are a lot of places, particularly in Birmingham, where the food scene is really developing and you can eat well, but few places bring the essence of this city to life.

“The Wilderness manages to do that, highlighting Birmingham’s cultural diversity, variety and history.

“I look forward to elevating that even further with Alex’s unique offering and being a part of the restaurant’s future.”