Fred Clapperton appointed head chef of Drake's
Drake's in Ripley, Surrey, has announced the promotion of Fred Clapperton to head chef following the departure of Steve Drake last month.
Clapperton joined Drake's in 2012 as a demi chef de partie. He worked his way through the various roles on different sections before being made sous chef in 2013.
He said: "I am delighted and excited to be head chef at Drake's and I couldn't ask for a better platform to start from. My passion is for creativity and design alongside food. I hope the restaurant will continue to go from strength to strength and gain accolades. We have great teams front and back of house."
Steve Drake left the Michelin-starred restaurant last month following a divorce settlement with wife Serina Drake.
Serina remained owner of Drake's while Steve took full ownership of the Anchor pub.
She said: "We considered a number of different potential candidates, but Fred really stood out from the crowd. Adding to this the fact that he already knows so much about the way we work and our team, it was a natural choice to give him the chance to take the reins and flourish. I am really excited and looking forward to working closely with Fred and our restaurant manager Joseph Pocceschi to take the restaurant forward."
At the time of the finalisation of the divorce, Steve told The Caterer: "The decision to leave and hand the business to Serina was mine. It was the most logical way to separate in the end. After working so hard to build up a successful business it was a tough decision but the right one for everyone involved.
"I am exploring opportunities for the future and I'm very excited about what happens next. To be honest I needed a new challenge. I see this as an incredible opportunity for me and the next stage of my career."
Chef proprietor Steve Drake to leave Drake's restaurant >>
Menuwatch: The Anchor, Ripley >>
Steve and Serina Drake acquire share in Ripley pub >>
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