Hotel Cateys 2023: Hotel Chef of the Year (more than 250 covers) – Michael Paul

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Michael Paul is responsible for all seven culinary outlets at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square, delivering a broad range of catering, from banqueting to in room dining.

The executive chef maintains standards, creativity and budgets across the 400-cover ballroom, as well as the Nobu restaurant, bar and terrace, which can do 450 covers in a single service, as well as the Lounge restaurant and bar, which is busy from 7am to midnight, and a 24-hour staff restaurant. In addition Paul is part of the team that has launched the Nobu Catering offer, which provides offsite catering for events such as Wimbledon.

While delivering outstanding service befitting the Nobu brand across all of these outlets, Paul supports a team of 90 chefs, mentoring them to perform and advance their careers. As a Westminster College alumni and contributing lecturer, he is passionate about developing the next generation of chefs, both within his organisation and in the wider industry. An example of this is the success of Nobu’s kitchen apprentice programme. Paul took two aspiring chefs and mentored them through their apprenticeships. The result was both candidates graduating with the highest level of distinction and later being welcomed into the Nobu Kitchen team as full-time chefs.

Meanwhile, the experience of having second-year graduates in the kitchen has also given other members of the brigade the opportunity to develop, with some helping coach these young colleagues. After this success, the restaurant has since taken on two new apprentice commis chefs.

That team has also developed new products, having launched afternoon tea in the Lounge in the past 12 months, inspired by the Japanese flowers at the hotel. Paul drew inspiration from artist Gavin Mitchell, whose works can be found throughout the hotel and on the menu – blending Eastern and Western cultures with traditional and contemporary life. The menu features twists on the signatures found in Nobu Portman Square, including a selection of cup sushi, crispy chicken kara-age and a hojicha cheesecake.

Paul has also delivered dishes for the hotel’s new ‘Chilled Sundays’, offering a Nobu-style sharing menu paired with a vinyl selection chosen by founders Nobu Matsuhisa and Robert De Niro. This focus on creative food and music positioned the hotel to be the obvious choice for the Sony Brit Awards after party.

But undoubtedly Paul’s greatest achievement of the year has been the launch of Nobu Catering, which delivers to events at Japan House and Wimbledon. Such has been its success that the new venture is already exceeding budgetary expectations.

For his outstanding work driving standards at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square and the efforts he has made to develop new successful products, all while inspiring his team and delivering on budgetary expectations, Paul is a worthy Hotel Chef of the Year.

What the judges said

“Operating in as busy a hotel as this one is a demanding job. Maintaining exceptional standards and innovative offerings like a Japanese-inspired afternoon tea takes a huge amount of effort. It’s great to see Michael taking this time to connect from the heart.” Chris King

The shortlist

• Paul Bates, Hilton London Metropole
• Neil Gooding, the Grand Brighton
• Michael Paul, Nobu Hotel London Portman Square
• Robert Pearce, Down Hall Hotel, Spa & Estate