Human Resources

🍴 Chris Eden, appointed executive head chef at Gidleigh Park in 2019, regained the Michelin star for the Chagford property in 2023. Before Gidleigh Park, Eden earned a Michelin star at Cornwall's Driftwood in 2012 and maintained it until his move to Devon in 2019. Gidleigh Park had two Michelin stars under Michael Caines until 2016. Eden plans to leave Gidleigh Park in autumn 2023 to spend more time with his family. The search for his successor is currently underway.

🏠 Chef Adejoké ‘Joké’ Bakare of Chishuru in London won a Michelin star in the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2024. Since then, Chishuru experienced a 60% increase in trade and relocated to Fitzrovia last September. Joké was named Chef of the Year at the National Restaurant Awards and ranked at number 31 in the UK's Top 100 Restaurants. Earlier, she was titled Woman of the Year by Code Hospitality. Chishuru's set menu increased from £75 to £95 post-Michelin star, and the kitchen brigade grew from two to eight, many with Michelin experience.

🍝 Nikita Pathakji, the winner of "MasterChef: The Professionals" in 2022, is now the head chef at The Princess of Shoreditch gastropub, owned by Noble Inns Group. She replaces Thomas Lemercier, who left to lead La Bibliothèque. Pathakji, with past experience at two Michelin-starred Bibendum and one Michelin-starred Kitchen W8, brings a menu merging classical cooking with global flavors, featuring dishes like gazpacho with smoked anchovy and spanakopita with whipped feta.

🤝 Pita Pit appointed Meghan Haugen as Chief Operating Officer, to oversee Operations, Marketing, and Franchising departments and support company growth. Haugen, with nearly 20 years of experience, previously held various leadership roles at Pita Pit. CEO Peter Riggs commends her hard work and dedication. Haugen's focus will be on operational efficiencies, continuous improvement, and franchising success.

💸 Meghan Haugen has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer at Mediterranean fast-casual brand Pita Pit. With nearly 20 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry, Haugen will oversee Operations, Marketing, and Franchising. CEO Peter Riggs highlights her strategic vision and operational expertise, which are pivotal for the company's continued customer and franchisee growth. Haugen's focus will be on enhancing operational efficiencies and driving continuous improvement initiatives within Pita Pit’s franchise network.

📈 Katharine Ames has been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer at Indigo Road Hospitality Group, after serving as Director of Marketing since 2021. Her previous roles include Vice President of Public Relations at Phase 3 Marketing & Communications and Media Relations Specialist at Huff & Co. Ames is based in Atlanta, reporting to Steve Palmer, the founder of Indigo Road established in 2009. The company, headquartered in Charleston, S.C., boasts 35 restaurants across 14 markets and operates six hotels.

🏨 Michael Coscetta appointed President of Mews, a hospitality cloud company in New York on 23 July. He oversees marketing, commercial, and customer success teams amid the company's growth. Coscetta's background includes roles at Paxos, Compass, and Square, with achievements such as preparing for Compass's 2021 IPO and scaling revenues to $2B. Mews, after a $110m funding round in March, employs 1,100 staff across 20 countries and has acquired HS3 Hotelsoftware.

🍴 Chef-owner Ryan Blackburn will not renew Kysty's lease, with its final service on July 26. He plans to open two new ventures in Ambleside: 'The Schelly,' a casual dining restaurant with 24+6 seats, and 'Workshop at The Old Stamp House,' a private dining space seating eight. Both are set to open mid-late August and will retain the Kysty team.

📢 Lost Boys Chicken, founded in 2015, closed its standalone restaurant on York Place due to post-Covid market shifts favoring home dining, economic pressures, and other challenges. Owner Tomas Samandi announced the closure as the hardest decision of his career and has relaunched the business at The Joker, its original pop-up location. Encouraging local support, Samandi suggests customers pick up orders instead of using delivery services to better benefit local businesses.

🍴 Sam Lomas, former River Cottage 'Rising Star' and Roux Scholarship finalist, is set to open Briar restaurant in early September at Number One Bruton in Somerset, a venue previously housing Osip. Briar will offer a daily changing menu focused on hyper-local produce, seasonal ingredients, and foraged offerings, including dishes like Westcombe gougeres and Berkshire pork chop with cider sauce. Osip, founded by Merlin Labron-Johnson, plans to relocate to Hardway in a renovated 16th-century inn.