The Fat Duck alumni: The custodians

Between 2010 and 2024, The Fat Duck entered the most demanding phase of its life.

The restaurant had already reshaped modern British dining; the challenge now was to protect that achievement.

Holding three Michelin stars under constant global scrutiny required a different kind of leadership. This era became defined not by invention, but by custodianship — chefs entrusted to safeguard standards, guide teams, and deliver one of the most complex dining experiences in the world, service after service.

Led by Heston Blumenthal and carried forward by a deeply committed kitchen team, this was the period in which The Fat Duck proved it could endure.

Read more: The Fat Duck alumni: The originals – era of innovation

Defining the ‘custodians era’ at The Fat Duck

By the early 2010s, The Fat Duck was no longer chasing recognition. It was living with it. Few restaurants survive the years after global acclaim; fewer still maintain three Michelin stars while continuing to evolve emotionally and operationally.

The ‘custodians era’ reflects the moment when success had to be systemised. Training, leadership depth, and discipline became as important as creativity. This was the period when The Fat Duck learned how to live with its own legacy — and protect it.

Leadership Timeline: The Fat Duck Kitchen (2010–2024)

Jonny Lake’s departure marked the close of the early leadership chapter. His tenure bridged ‘the originals’ era with the modern Fat Duck, leaving behind a kitchen defined by intellectual curiosity, precision, and research-driven cooking.

What followed required continuity rather than reinvention.

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Ed Cooke: Long-Term Stewardship and Stability

Ed Cooke joined The Fat Duck on February 23, 2010 as a chef de partie and would become the defining through-line of the custodians era.

His progression reflects long-term trust and responsibility:

• Chef de partie — February 23, 2010
• Junior sous chef — January 1, 2012
• Sous chef — September 10, 2012
• Head chef — August 16, 2016
• Executive head chef, The Fat Duck — September 1, 2021
• Chief operating officer, The Fat Duck Group — April 1, 2023
• Executive head chef, The Fat Duck/Brand Executive, The Fat Duck Group —
  June 15, 2023 to September 13, 2024

Ed’s leadership spanned the reopening after Melbourne, the consolidation of the Journey menu, and the operational realities of running a three-Michelin-star restaurant at scale. His departure in September 2024 marked the natural end of the custodians era.

Progression Through the Brigade: Ollie Bridgwater

Ollie Bridgwater’s journey reflects custodianship from within the brigade. Joining The Fat Duck in 2013, he progressed steadily through the ranks during a period when expectations were already absolute.

• Chef de partie — 2013
• Senior chef de partie — 2015
• Junior sous chef — 2016
• Sous chef — 2017
• Left The Fat Duck — 2022

By the time The Fat Duck re-opened in Bray in August 2016, Ollie was already moving into senior responsibility.

His progression exemplifies the culture of the custodians era: trust built over time, reinforced by consistency rather than visibility.

Transitional Leadership: Oli Williamson

Oli Williamson joined The Fat Duck in 2020 as pastry sous chef, entering the kitchen during a period where structure and precision were paramount.

A Roux Scholar — from the competition founded by Albert Roux and Michel Roux and now overseen by the Roux family, including Alain Roux of Bray’s three-Michelin-star Waterside Inn — Oli brought classical discipline into The Fat Duck’s highly evolved framework.

His progression reflects adaptability and leadership during a period of transition:

• Pastry sous chef — 2020
• Senior sous chef — mid-2021
• Head chef — January 2022
• Finished at The Fat Duck — March 2023

Oli held one pastry position only. His appointment as head chef came during a transitional phase, where maintaining standards across sections mattered more than long-term structural change — a defining characteristic of the custodians era.

Jocky Petrie: The Return and the Bridge Forward

In 2023, James “Jocky” Petrie returned to The Fat Duck as global culinary director. Having been integral to the restaurant’s earlier development culture, his return provided continuity and reassurance.

Jocky’s role bridged the philosophy of the originals, the discipline of the custodians, and the momentum of the present-day kitchen.

The Melbourne Reset and the Re-Opening of The Fat Duck

Following its temporary relocation, The Fat Duck did not reopen immediately on returning to the UK.

The Fat Duck re-opened in Bray in August 2016, retaining its three Michelin stars and introducing a more emotionally structured experience. From that point forward, the challenge was execution — delivering an evolved Journey menu with flawless consistency.

The Menu During the Custodians Era

Throughout this period, dishes remained the work of Heston Blumenthal and the team.

The custodians era was defined not by authorship, but by responsibility — ensuring the experience could be delivered at the highest level, every service.

The Journey menu became the defining structure of the meal, while established dishes such as Sound of the Sea, Counting Sheep, and the Sweet Shop demanded absolute consistency under pressure.

Dinner by Heston: Exporting Standards Beyond Bray

As The Fat Duck entered its custodial phase, its philosophy was also being expressed elsewhere. Dinner by Heston demonstrated that the principles developed in Bray — research, discipline, and narrative dining — could be codified and delivered beyond a single kitchen.

What worked at The Fat Duck now had to work globally.

The End of the Custodians Era and the Next Chapter

Ed Cooke’s departure in September 2024 marked the close of the custodians era. Today, Karl Jaques leads the kitchen as head chef, working under the guidance of Jocky Petrie as the restaurant moves forward.

This is not a break from the past, but a continuation of the same collective culture that has defined The Fat Duck for three decades.

Why the Custodians Matter

Many restaurants achieve greatness. Very few sustain it.

The custodians era explains why The Fat Duck endured — through restraint, professionalism, and collective responsibility. Without this chapter, there is no legacy to pass on.