Joe Fox joins Firmdale as group executive head chef

Firmdale Hotels has appointed Joe Fox as group executive head chef to oversee the menus and operations across the group’s six London restaurants and bars, as well as in-room dining, private events and pop-up dining experiences.

He has replaced Robin Read, who left in March after 16 years and is now running the Counter Home Edition, a private dining experience, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

The six Firmdale restaurants include the restaurant at Ham Yard hotel, Refuel at the Soho hotel, Oscar at Charlotte Street hotel, Brasserie Max at Covent Garden hotel, Brumus at Haymarket hotel and the Potting Shed at Dorset Square hotel.

Fox's menus will focus on seasonal British produce, with dishes such as beef tatare with Berkswell cheese, hazelnuts and winter black truffle; Cornish fish stew with garlic mayonnaise and rosemary croutons; celeriac, potato and rosemary terrine with a soft boiled duck egg, buttered leeks and grain mustard; treacle glazed ox cheek, cauliflower, braised shallot and buttered carrots; crème caramel with rum raisins; and brown butter panna cotta with pistachios and lemon.

Prior to joining Firmdale, Fox worked at Petersham Nurseries in Richmond and later in Covent Garden where he was head chef. Most recently he was head chef at Townsend, the modern British dining room at Whitechapel Gallery.

Fox said: “As pioneers of service and design I’ve been a long-time admirer of Firmdale Hotels and am truly thrilled to be joining the team. I am looking forward to creating menus that are led by flavour; combining seasonality with my own version of classic dishes for a memorable dining experience."

Con Ring, managing director of Firmdale Hotels, added: “We continually look to reinvent the hotel experience and Joe marks a new departure for Firmdale’s restaurants.

"A great addition to the team, he brings a fresh approach to food, sustainability, seasonality and the dining experience. Known for living and breathing the philosophy of seasonal cooking we look forward to seeing what he brings to the table.”

Firmdale Hotels is owned by Tim and Kit Kemp and comprises eight hotels in London and two in New York. A third New York property, Warren Street hotel, is under construction.