Mark and Shauna Froydenlund are stepping down as chef patrons of Marcus Belgravia

Mark and Shauna Froydenlund are stepping down as chef patrons of Marcus Belgravia after five years spent jointly at the helm, with plans to move back to Ireland and launch a venture of their own.

After they depart The Berkeley hotel restaurant on January 29th, the couple will be returning to Northern Ireland "to raise their growing family" and will temporarily take over the running of a family restaurant in view of eventually opening their own restaurant. 

The couple joined the restaurant when it was still Pétrus in 2006 and 2007 respectively, named chef-patrons of the business in 2017.

In their time there, they have helped earned a raft of awards for the restaurant, including a Michelin star in 2009, 5 AA Rosettes, the Harden's Best Restaurant in London Award in 2008 and 2009 and Time Out’s Restaurant of the Year in 2010.

Both have appeared on Great British Menu, Mark in series 10 and 11, taking his main course to the banquet in 2016, and Shauna in series 13 and 15.

In a social media post announcing the news, the restaurant said: "We will miss them dearly, but Mark and Shauna’s legacy will remain in the fantastic team they have nurtured over their time in our kitchen," namely with the talents of recently-appointed head chef Craig Johnston and senior sous-chef Jack Hazell, who, it said, "will take Marcus Restaurant into 2022 and beyond."

"They will always be part of the Marcus Wareing family, but for now, please join us in wishing Mark, Shauna and their family the very best with their new adventure."