Aqua Shard recruits Midsummer House head chef

Aqua Shard has appointed Mark Abbott as its new executive chef.

He will champion British produce and emphasise seasonality at the restaurant, located on the 31^st floor of London skyscraper the Shard.

Abbott was latterly head chef at Midsummer House in Cambridge, having joined the two-Michelin-starred eatery as a chef de partie in 2010. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in maintaining the restaurant’s reputation and was later made a business partner.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Abbott’s culinary journey began with work experience at a local hotel, which ignited his passion for the kitchen. This led him to work under some of the UK’s most esteemed chefs, including Michael Dean in Belfast, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles and Paul Kitching at 21212 in Edinburgh.

At Aqua Shard, Abbott will craft menus that honour Britain’s diverse ingredients, with dishes such as velouté of English asparagus, Cotswolds white chicken terrine and roasted fillet sea bream.

He believes in telling the story of Britain’s agricultural heritage through each dish, saying: “Working with exceptional suppliers like the Wild Room, which provide us with foraged wild mushrooms and fresh truffles, Aubrey Allen, renowned for its ethically-sourced meats and Royal Warrant status, and Neal’s Yard Dairy, champion of British and Irish farmhouse cheeses, allows us to bring the best of the UK’s culinary heritage to the table.”

Abbott was also a finalist on the BBC’s Great British Menu, series 11, in 2016.