Jamie Shears to take executive chef role at the Audley in Mayfair

Jamie Shears is to leave his role as executive chef at London's 45 Park Lane Hotel to take the same position at Artfarm's first London site the Audley, which is due to open in Mayfair this autumn.

Shears will join Artfarm in May, taking the summer to develop menus, source producers and recruit his team at the Mayfair pub which is currently being refurbished to feature a ground floor wet-led pub serving food, and a first floor fine-dining restaurant.

The building also features a further three floors which will consist of private dining and events spaces.

Shears will oversee the food across the entire building, which will have a strong focus on art, with collaborations with various artists soon to be announced.

It was announced last year that Artfarm – the hospitality company behind six restaurants including Somerset's Roth Bar & Grill and the Fife Arms in Braemar, Aberdeenshire – had signed the lease with Grosvenor Britain & Ireland for the venue.

The site was built in 1888 and designed by Thomas Verity, the man who designed the exterior of the pavilion at Lord's Cricket Ground.

Architect Luis Laplace, who designed and restored Roth Bar & Grill and Hauser & Wirth in Somerset, has been leading the interior architecture of the Grade II-listed building which lost many of its original historic features lost due to bomb damage in WWII.

“Jamie is a wonderful and respected chef with a love of British ingredients and we are thrilled he’s joining us,” the CEO of Artfarm, Ewan Venters, told The Caterer.

“What we will do at the Audley in Mayfair will be a great celebration of classic food from London and Britain, but presented in a relevant way for today, showcasing the authenticity of the area and environment.”

Shears’ executive chef position at 45 Park Lane will be filled by Elliott Grover, formerly executive chef at Duck & Waffle.