Rick Stein Restaurants, the Cornish seafood specialist with locations across Cornwall, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, and London, has appointed Jason Wass as its new head of food.
Jason Wass will manage all aspects of menu development across the group's 10 venues. Working closely with chef-director Jack Stein, Wass will ensure that the menus reflect Stein's ethos of 'simple food, cooked well.' His responsibilities include sourcing the finest ingredients, integrating innovative culinary techniques, and developing new offerings for Rick Stein's nationwide online fishmongers.
Wass brings a wealth of experience to his new role as head of food at Rick Stein Restaurants, having held key positions in top establishments. His career includes serving as senior sous chef at Gordon Ramsay Group, group executive chef at Russell Norman's Polpo, and most recently, operations director at Upmarket Leisure (Gino D'Acampo Restaurants, Radio Rooftop London). He has also worked stages at prestigious venues such as Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, Tom Kitchen at Kitchen Leith (alongside Pierre Koffman), Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, and Claridge's, gaining diverse insights into various cooking styles and environments.
'It's a pleasure to be joining the Rick Stein team – I'm looking forward to working closely with Jack and Rick on developing menus across the strong portfolio of restaurants, with exciting plans in the works for the 50th anniversary,' says Wass. 'I've always admired the Steins' passion for seafood with a simple but flavourful approach to cooking, and I'm eager to continue to create fantastic dishes for our customers.'
Rick Stein Restaurants, founded in 1975 with The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, has grown significantly over nearly five decades. Today, the business includes 10 restaurants, a cookery school, 40 guest rooms, self-catering properties, and four shops.