Andy McFadden has been appointed as executive head chef and company director of the world renowned Pied à Terre, London.
Andy McFadden moved from L’Autre Pied, Pied à Terre’s sister restaurant, last week, in order to replace Marcus Eaves.
The team are excited to welcome Andy back to the kitchen, after starting his journey at Pied à Terre nine years ago, when the kitchen was run by Shane Osborn.
David Moore, founding director of the business, explained that after Andy had worked in the kitchen for several years they encouraged him to explore new opportunities.
He explained: "After four and a half years we encouraged him to broaden his horizons. He worked for a year at Oud Sluis in the Netherlands, and when he came back he worked as a sous chef under Marcus at L’Audre Pied. When Shane Osborn left Pied à Terre, Marcus went on to replace him and so we said to Andy ‘just get on with it if you can’! So he took over L’Autre Pied after being sous chef there for only three or four months.”
Shortly after being appointed head chef, L’Autre Pied was awarded a Michelin star, making Andy the youngest Michelin-starred chef in the city at the time.
“Pied a Terre comes with 25 years heritage and some very big boots to fill and I think that Andy is going to fill those boots easily. He’s got an enormous talent, the energy he has tires me out just talking to him! He’s good with his team. I think that he is incredibly talented, and he’s very modest about it. We are all thrilled for Andy to be coming back to us," David continued.
With every new chef welcomed into the Pied à Terre kitchen comes a new wave of changes. David believes that with Andy taking the helm, he will want to put his own touch on everything, not leaving a single stone unturned.
He said: “It feels like Andy is coming home to Pied à Terre and I think what he is going to be doing over the next couple of years is going to be the most interesting cooking in London. It’s really amazing to see how he has developed, the interesting aspect will be to see how he changes in the Pied a Terre kitchen.
“It’s fascinating to see how the business has changed with the moves at the top, people usually get really worried about it, but what normally happens is unlikely people step up and change things in ways you’re not expecting. We definitely found that with Marcus’ departure that the two sous chefs did such a marvellous job. You didn’t see them miss a beat, it was incredible. The two sous chefs have been fantastic, the strength of the team that Andy is going to have behind him is rare.”
Alongside becoming the new executive head chef, Andy has been offered a company director position.
David added: “I think in terms of some of the guides like Michelin, they like to see the commitment going both ways. We are taking Andy on board and he is also taking us on board. Company directorship is something that speaks of longevity, and commitment which brings consistency. We want him to be involved with every aspect of the business, we want him to be bringing his enthusiasm and energy and creative eye to everything.”
David has said the team at L’Autre Pied will miss him, but while not giving too much away, has confirmed the restaurant has 'a new head chef hopefully signed up, and he’s an exciting cook'.
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