Ex Elystan Street chef Toby Burrowes named head chef at Zuma London
Chef Toby Burrowes is the new head chef at Zuma London, a Japanese-inspired izakaya-style concept of which there are eleven locations worldwide.
The chef announced the news on Instagram, where he said: "Extremely excited" to take on the job.
The Knightsbridge restaurant is the restaurant group's flagship, first opened in 2002. Since then, the group has launched additional venues in Hong Kong, Istanbul. Dubai, Miami, Bangkok, Abu Dhabi, Datça Peninsula (Turkey), New York, Rome, Las Vegas, Phuket, Bodrum Yalıkavak Marina (Turkey) , Kitzbühel (Austria), Mykonos (Greek Cyclades) and Boston USA.
Toby left his role as head chef at Phil Howard's London restaurant, Elystan Street, in February 2020, at the time citing "a professional difference of opinion."
He had joined the award-winning chef at The Square, where he worked for four years before followed him when Elystan Street was founded in collaboration with Rebecca Mascarenhas. He was head chef there when it received a Michelin star in 2018, the same year it was named Restaurant of the year by the AA.
Prior to leaving Elystan Street, Toby took part in the 2020 Obsession series alongside Phil Howard, six years after doing so for the first time.
At the time of his departure, he said: "I’d like to thank Phil Howard for taking me in straight off the boat and under his wing at The Square all those years ago, and for choosing me as the only one he took with him to Elystan Street to open it.
"I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without him and we have some brilliant memories, best of my life so far. And the team, they were the back bone, the operators! so a huge thank you past and present.
As it stands I’m taking a short break from the stoves and I’ll be looking to step into something where I can spread my wings under my own name."
Aaron Potter - previously of La Goccia, and former senior sous at The Trinity in Clapham, Adam Byatt's flagship - has since replaced Toby as head chef at Elystan Street.
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