J Sheekey and Le Caprice name new head chefs
J Sheekey and Le Caprice, two London restaurants from the Caprice group, have appointed Andrew McLay and William Halsall as new head chefs respectively.
McLay joins J Sheekey & J Sheekey Oyster Bar from his previous head chef role at Le Caprice. Originally from Darlington in County Durham, McLay joined the restaurant group in 2005 as chef de partie of J Sheekey and then helped open Scott's in Mayfair. He rose through the ranks before moving to Le Caprice as senior sous chef in 2009, becoming head chef in 2011. He has also worked at the Black Bull in Moulton, North Yorkshire and the Crab & Lobster in Thirsk.
This will be Halsall's first head chef role. Also from County Durham, he joined the Caprice group in 2005 as demi-chef of the Ivy, and originally moved to Le Caprice in 2009 before going to Mark's Club as junior sous chef in 2009. He was most recently senior sous chef at 34 Mayfair, which he helped to open in 2011. He has also worked at London sites Langan's Odins, Langan's Brasserie and the Oxo Tower.
Owned by restaurateur Richard Caring, the Caprice Holdings group also includes the Ivy, the Club at the Ivy, Scott's, 34, Daphne's, the Mount Street Deli and Urban Caprice. It recently launched new Mayfair seafood site Sexy Fish in October last year.
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