Palé Hall names Sam Griffiths as new head chef

Sam Griffiths, winner of Welsh Chef of the Year 2021, is to join Palé Hall hotel in Wales as head chef this summer.

Griffiths is currently working as executive sous chef at the Chester Grosvenor's Arkle restaurant and oversees the wider food and beverage operation.

He spent seven years at the hotel cooking under Simon Radley, who recommended him for the role at Palé Hall.

Declan O'Driscoll, head chef at the Brasserie at the Chester Grosvenor, will join Palé Hall as a senior member of the team while Robin Evans has been appointed head pastry chef.

Debbie Cappadona, general manager at Pale Hall, said: "We are excited that Palé is entering a new phase of her culinary journey. We feel that Sam's food is the perfect next step for our development, blending classic cooking with a lightness of touch to suit modern times.

"We consider ourselves very lucky indeed to have such talent joining us."

Griffiths will replace Gareth Stevenson, who has been head chef at Palé Hall since it opened in Bala, Gwynedd in 2016.

"We are grateful to Gareth for all he has done, and we wish him well in his next endeavour," added Cappadona.