Ramsay ready to sign up for contract catering role

Gordon Ramsay, chef-patron of London's Aubergine restaurant, and Claudio Pulze, proprietor of a number of top London restaurants, are about to sign a five-year consultancy deal with contract caterer Ring & Brymer.

The event catering arm of Gardner Merchant is negotiating a complex contract with Mr Pulze and Mr Ramsay. First fruits of the deal are likely to be seen at London's Restaurant Show in September, where Mr Pulze will run a 150-seat restaurant for Ring & Brymer, using chefs from several of his restaurants.

Other projects are likely to include overseeing menus, staff training and master classes for Ring & Brymer chefs, a role in Eurostar's first-class service, and some of Ring &Brymer's prestigious contracts.

However, it is understood that Mr Ramsay will work at Aubergine on a daily basis, even if that means training Ring & Brymer chefs in his kitchen. The contract will be up for re-negotiation in three years.

The move, which comes just two months after Gardner Merchant recruited Gary Rhodes to head its City restaurant, marks the latest stage in the growing acceptability of the contract catering sector for top name chefs.