Simon Attridge has been appointed as the Culinary Director at the five-AA-star Claridge's hotel in London.
He joins Claridge's from Gleneagles, where he served as Executive Chef since August 2017.
At Gleneagles, he played a key role in refurbishing and developing the estate and was named Hotel Chef of the Year (more than 250 covers) at the 2019 Hotel Cateys.
At Claridge's, Attridge will oversee all culinary operations. The hotel has been navigating the challenge of balancing its almost 200-year history and tradition with evolving tastes. In 2021, Claridge's ended its partnership with US chef Daniel Humm after disagreements over plans to convert his Davies & Brook restaurant into a fully vegan menu. Davies & Brook's Executive Chef Dmitri Magi was promoted to Culinary Director but left in July after serving in the role for just under a year.
Attridge's appointment comes following the relaunch of Davies & Brook as the Claridge's Restaurant, offering a more traditional British menu.
'Simon will undoubtedly bring the perfect balance of innovation and creativity, whilst being respectful of our distinguished heritage to ensure we continue to maintain Claridge's position as one of the leading hotels in the world,' said Claridge's general manager Paul Jackson.
'It is essential to constantly evolve and embrace change, whilst of course maintaining many of the traditional elements that make the hotel so special and much loved.'
The hotel's other food and beverage outlets include the Artspace Café, the Painter's Room bar and the Foyer and Reading Room, which offers afternoon tea.
Attridge said: 'It is an honour to be joining the UK's most prestigious and iconic hotel at such an exciting time. I look forward to working with the incredibly talented team as Claridge's continues to step into the future whilst celebrating its timeless tradition.'