Adam Simmonds has left The Capital after eight months

Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Deputy Editor

Adam Simmonds has left his position of executive chef at The Capital after just eight months at the helm.

The chef confirmed the news, stating that the decision to step away was his own - due to a "change of direction" taken by The Capital.

Meanwhile a spokesperson for the hotel said they had parted ways with Adam just over a week ago, but declined to confirmed who would be taking over his position.

In an interview with The Staff Canteen, the chef said: "The time I had there was good, but I totally understand and respect the change of direction," to which he said there were "lots of contributing factors" which made it inevitable.

He said it was a shame to have to step away. "We were gathering good traction, TripAdvisor was good, the feedback from the restaurant was good, but ultimately there's a number of reasons why the change of direction has to happen."

"There are a few things in the pipeline," he said, noting that it wouldn't be a wise decision to open his own business given the current market, but that he would now have to "wait and see" what came next and that he was not ruling any options out as of yet.

Adam Simmonds' rise to fame after obtaining Michelin stars at both Ynyshir Hall and Danesfield House was precipitated by his twelve-month long pop-up restaurant in Soho, The Test Kitchen.

The chef then sought to open a restaurant in London but struggled to find investors, as, he said, "it didn't stack up for them as a viable business."

He was named head chef at Adam Handling's Chelsea restaurant last year, but parted ways with the group a week after the launch, offering no explanation to the press.

By taking on the position at The Capital, he followed in the footsteps of Nathan Outlaw, who stepped away from the role early last year to focus on his Cornwall restaurants and his new project at The Goring.

Last year, shortly after he took the reigns at the hotel, Adam said he considered his role to be "a long term project," and "one that will take time for us to get it to where it needs to be," but that he was "relishing the chance to do that."

The Staff Canteen has reached out to Adam for comment and will update this story as more information is available.

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