Gemma Hyjek is the new head chef at Butler’s Wharf Chop House

Gemma Hyjek has been appointed as head chef of the D&D restaurant Butler’s Wharf Chop House after previously working as a private chef for Harrods as well as for Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants.

Her arrival heralds a new phase at the British restaurant, known for its superb grills and commitment to British produce. D&D London’s David Loewi commented on Gemma’s appointment saying: “We are very happy to welcome Gemma as head chef at Butler’s Wharf Chop House. With great experience at Gordon Ramsay, Bumpkin and most recently as a private chef at Harrods, Gemma is an exciting addition to the company. “She brings an elegant, inventive and feminine spin to traditional British dishes, and has already made her mark on the menu. We look forward to working with her.” Gemma and her team have planned subtle changes and tweaks to the restaurant menu, introducing lighter dishes such as:

Broccoli, baby artichoke and radish salad with poached quail’s eggs.
Octopus, orange and melon salad with orange mayonnaise
Spring lamb neck, pressed shoulder, baby leeks and mint gravy
Eton Mess with a contemporary twist of fruit jelly.

The bar has also seen some changes, with the introduction of a range of doorstep sandwiches and home-made crisps. Gemma trained at Westminster College and cut her teeth as a senior chef de partie and night baker at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, where she ran the pastry section in addition to supporting in other areas. A stint in Paris at the three Michelin-starred Restaurant Guy Savoy was next on the list, followed by a further seven years in London, at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, The Narrow, The Devonshire, Roast and Manson’s (now closed), working her way up to head chef.

In 2010, Gemma honed her baking skills by spending six months at Lighthouse Bakery in East Sussex, won a Woman of the Future award and returned to London as head chef of Bumpkin in west London, then Japanese-Brazilian restaurant Sushinho, where she had the opportunity to learn a new cuisine. Gemma said: “Butler’s Wharf Chop House has a fantastic sense of place – British cuisine overlooking one of the finest views in London. I am thrilled to be joining the team and putting my own stamp on things.” Well done Gemma.

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