Kim Woodward Appointed Savoy Grill’s first female head

For the first time in its 126 year history Kim Woodward has been appointed the first female head chef of Gordon Ramsay Group’s Savoy Grill. She returns to the kitchen where she helped spearhead its success during the 2010 re-launch.

Recruited from within the Gordon Ramsay Group, Kim has spent the past three years as head chef of the York & Albany, the restaurant, bar and townhouse in Camden. Cheshire-born Kim brings a wealth of experience to her new role in the iconic kitchen on the Strand, where revolutionary chef Auguste Escoffier once commanded the pass in the 1890s.

Kim spent a number of years post-college in the United States, earning her chef whites and honing her skills in some of America’s top restaurants. In 2007, she returned home to the UK where she joined the Gordon Ramsay Group as Junior Sous Chef at Boxwood Café. She later joined Plane Food and then was part of the successful opening team of the Savoy Grill under executive chef Stuart Gillies – now Managing Director of the Group.

Kim took the spotlight on the small screen during the 2011 series of Masterchef: The Professionals, showcasing her talent and determination by reaching the semi-finals of the competitive cookery show.

Kim Woodward says: “It is an absolute honour for me to be the Head Chef here in one of London’s most iconic restaurants. Obviously there is so much history here, and the people who come through the door come here for the classic dishes the Savoy Grill is famous for.”

While Kim has been based at the York & Albany since 2012, she has also consulted on various projects and demos for the group including travelling to Sardinia for Gordon Ramsay at Fortevillage and Gordon Ramsay at Castel Monastero in Tuscany.