Gaetano Farucci appointed head chef of two-Michelin-starred Le Gavroche

Gaetano Farucci has been appointed head chef of two-Michelin-starred Le Gavroche in London's Mayfair.

Chef-patron Michel Roux Jr made the appointment following departure of Diego Ferrari, who departed to open his first restaurant with Roux Jr's daughter, Emily.

Working alongside Roux Jr and executive chef Rachel Humphrey, Farucci will develop seasonal menus and be responsible for the day-to-day running of the kitchen.

Roux Jr said: "I'm delighted that Gaetano will be taking the reins of Le Gavroche from Diego. Over the past five years, he has proven himself to be an exceptional chef, a dedicated employee, and a great mentor for our junior chefs. Rachel and I are looking forward to seeing what he'll bring to the kitchen in his new role."

Farucci has been working at the restaurant since 2013, before which he worked at Novikov in Mayfair and several luxury hotels and restaurants across Italy.

He added: "I'm thrilled to be leading the team with Michel and Rachel. Le Gavroche is an iconic restaurant and I'm excited to continue delivering the standard of excellence the restaurant has become known for over 51 years. When I joined five years ago, I never thought I'd be in this position but it's testament to the amazing training and opportunities given to the staff."

Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari's ‘Caractère' to open tomorrow>>

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