James Greatorex to take over as L'Ortolan head chef

Clarke joined the restaurant as sous chef in 2011 and took over from Alan Murchinson as head chef in 2014.

He is leaving to move to Essex due to family commitments.

Twenty-three-year-old junior sous chef James Greatorex, who joined the restaurant in 2018, is to take over as head chef in mid-March.

Prior to L’Ortolan he spent two years working at the three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck in Bray.

Greatorex says: "It is a real honour for me to be offered the head chef position at L’Ortolan, a place with such rich culinary history, developed through a history of many talented chefs. With a strong team behind me, I hope to consolidate L’Ortolan’s rightful place within England’s fine dining scene."

The L’Ortolan building dates back to 1840 and was converted in to the Milton Sandford restaurant in 1978, winning its first Michelin star in 1982.

Chefs including Nico Ladenis, John Burton Race and Daniel Galmiche have cooked in its kitchen over the past 30 years.