Simon Radley to depart from The Chester Grosvenor after thirty years

Simon Radley, executive chef and director of catering at The Chester Grosvenor has announced his upcoming departure from the five-star hotel.

Radley is set to leave The Chester Grosvenor in October 2021 having spent over thirty cumulative years at the hotel.

As well as heading up Michelin-starred restaurant ‘Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor’, Simon also leads the hotel’s restaurant, La Brasserie, and all catering across The Westminster Suite and Eaton Suite event spaces.

‘Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor’ has held a Michelin star since 1990, making it one of very few UK restaurants to have been awarded one or more Michelin stars consecutively for so many years, and sitting it alongside industry greats like Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Le Gavroche.

The fine-dining restaurant has sat amongst The Sunday Times Top 100, The Good Food Guide Top 50 and the hotel holds six AA rosettes across its restaurants.

The Michelin-starred restaurant will trade under Radley’s name until the end of the year, with the hotel planning a relaunch of the restaurant in January 2022.

Simon was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Chester in 2018 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the city. He is known for his commitment to the tutelage of young chefs through his training programme, Simon Radley’s Kitchen Academy.

On the subject of his departure, Simon said: "My career at The Chester Grosvenor has spanned decades and I will leave what has become like a second home to me with many fond memories.

"My proudest achievement, aside from the wonderful external accolades we’ve achieved, has been bringing some amazing home-grown talent through the ranks of the kitchen. By training our brigade ourselves, we managed to consistently keep our standards high and our team motivated.

"I like to think we have contributed to raising the bar throughout the Northern restaurant scene with some of the brilliant chefs that came through our kitchens going on to do great things."

"I leave the hotel in a strong position, despite these uncertain times, with an excellent kitchen and restaurant team. It is in superb shape to continue providing our customers with the consistency and excellence they have come to expect from a Chester Grosvenor experience."

After a short sabbatical, Simon will be looking to pursue other opportunities:

"As many chefs know, this work is a vocation, and I look forward to the next chapter, whatever that may be."

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