Butler's Wharf Chop House appoints Gemma Hyjek as head chef
D&D London's Butler's Wharf Chop House has appointed Gemma Hyjek as new head chef.
Having trained at Westminster College, she was most recently a private chef at Harrods, and her career has so far included time at Claridge's Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, the Devonshire, and Roast, as well as a stint in Paris at the three Michelin-starred Restaurant Guy Savoy.
Hyjek also worked at Lighthouse Bakery in East Sussex, before returning to London to work at the Japanese-Brazilian restaurant Sushinho.
It is intended that her appointment will underline the London Bridge restaurant's ongoing commitment to British produce.
Hyjek has already tweaked the menu, with the aim of adding some lighter dishes. These include poached quail's eggs with broccoli, baby artichoke and radish; octopus with orange, melon and orange mayonnaise; spring lamb neck with pressed shoulder, baby leeks and mint gravy, and Eton Mess with fruit jelly.
The bar now also serves "doorstep" sandwiches and home-made crisps.
David Loewi, of D&D London, said: "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."
The D&D London group runs to over 30 restaurants worldwide, including London's Almeida, Angler, Floridita, Le Pont de La Tour, and Skylon. Its non-London sites include Angelica in Leeds, Alcazar in Paris, and Guastavinos in New York.