James Sharp, Executive Chef, Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay: “The new standards are what it’s all about”

Collaboration, camaraderie and consistency are at the centre of James Sharp’s culinary goals as the executive chef of Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay celebrates the Michelin star win.

2024 marks a huge celebratory moment for James Sharp and the Restaurant 1890 team, winning a Michelin star. As for whether it’s changed anything, James confirms, “It has raised the bar and the guests’ expectations."

It’s attracted even more attention and excited guests through their doors at The Savoy hotel, eager to sample dishes inspired by the French maestro Auguste Escoffier. “It has made us busier and hungrier to please,” James says. “The new standards are what it’s all about,” he adds.

From coaching to cooking

Growing up, you’d be more likely to find James in sports gear than chefs whites. James remembers playing a lot of sports when he was a child. Yet, playing professionally wasn’t necessarily on the cards. “I’m not sure a professional career was ever in the plans, but certainly coaching and teaching was an interest of mine,” James says.

Studying physical education at Leeds Metropolitan University was where James first realised that his future career was in cooking. Though like many of us, that’s only visible when looking back over an already remarkable career from where it all began. “While I was at home, my mum and my dad did most of the cooking—it was only while at university that I started to cook for myself, and that’s where the love of food began,” says James.

It was Italian food that first spoke to James’ culinary love. “I started making all my fresh pasta, making bread and pizzas from scratch.” By the time he’d graduated from Leeds, James knew his future career direction. “I knew what I really wanted to do—a career in the kitchen was for me.”

Looking now at the shift from coaching plans to a cooking career, the connection is clear for James. “There’s a lot of similarities between sport and cooking in terms of the level of dedication and commitment you have to invest in both,” he reflects.

For one, the camaraderie between playing in a sports team and the kitchen is similar. “It’s working together for the same goal,” says James. Collaborating in a team and working towards the same outcome is something James thrives doing daily.

A career with Gordon Ramsay

Now the executive chef at Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay, James first joined Gordon’s team and the Gordon Ramsay Restaurant Group in 2015. His first role was as a commis chef at three Michelin star Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, supporting esteemed chef patrons Clare Smyth MBE and later Matt Abé.

From there, James made his way up to become sous chef before moving to Pétrus By Gordon Ramsay as senior sous chef. In 2022, he became part of the opening team at Gordon Ramsay’s newest fine-dining venue, Restaurant 1890.

Part of London’s high-end elite establishments, Restaurant 1890 is named as such to reflect the honour of the legendary French chef Auguste Escoffier and the year he joined the Savoy. “We take inspiration from his dishes, his recipes, his techniques, and that’s what this restaurant is all about,” says James. “It’s honouring the great chef.”

Summing up Restaurant 1890’s food culture, “It is extremely seasonal”, James says. Food-led and flavour-driven, the two-year-old venue takes inspiration from classic techniques and old-school classic cooking but strives to modernise it for today’s palette and clientele.

A question perhaps on many people’s lips when working with the renowned Hell’s Kitchen personality— what’s it like to work with Gordon? In one word, “Inspirational”, James responds. “His passion and his enthusiasm are infectious.” Working with Gordon, everything is a valuable lesson and experience, James shares. “You can’t have a conversation with him about the food, the menu, the dining room, the crockery, the plates, without learning something.”

Restaurant 1890 seats a maximum of 55 diners from Tuesday through to Saturday for dinner service and then Friday and Saturday for lunch. The team at Restaurant 1890 consists of eight people in the kitchen brigade, five in the front of the house, four sommeliers and two at the bar.

Collaboration, commitment, camaraderie, consistency and continuity

Out of all the things he loves about being a chef at Restaurant 1890, for James, it comes down to collaboration, commitment and camaraderie.

“My favourite part of being a chef at Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay is the team,” James says. From the brigade in the kitchen through to the front of the house, they all pull together. “I’m extremely fortunate to have had a really loyal brigade here, and it’s that strength, that unity, that has enabled us to drive and to continue to grow as a restaurant,” James enthuses.

In the two years since Restaurant 1890 opened in London’s revered Savoy Hotel, the most important lesson James has learned is the importance of looking after your staff. “Happy chefs cook food with love and happy front of the house serve with a smile, and ultimately that’s what makes guests feel comfortable, relaxed, enjoy their dining experience and come back again,” James shares.

So, after receiving the Michelin star earlier this year, what’s next? “It’s all about continuity and consistency,” James says. It is building and developing the team and developing those relationships at Restaurant 1890. “That really gives us the foundations to continue to grow, to continue to raise the bar of what we do and surpass the expectations of the guests,” James details.

Staff remain at the heart of success

With connection playing such a fundamental role in James’ career to date, it’s unsurprising that a job well done for him is all about his team. “Success for me is staff coming into work with a smile on their face every single day, and that is the basis of everything else,” James says.

Without that, you’re always fighting against people’s natural desires, he adds. “When people are on the same team, it makes working in a restaurant and serving guests an absolute pleasure,” says James. With his purpose driven by the needs of his guests, James sees his legacy as being in serving happy guests and fulfilling their expectations.