Two former employees of Bruno Loubet join new Paddington hotel

The operational team at the Pilgrm, the new 73-bedroom hotel which is due to open next month in London's Paddington, is to be headed by two former alumni of chef Bruno Loubet.

Edgard Helle, former general manager at Loubet's Grain Store restaurant in King's Cross, will take on the same role at Pilgrm, while Sara Lewis has been appointed head chef of the hotel, having previously worked as Grain Store's sous chef. Grain Store closed in August 2017 four years after being opened by Loubet in partnership with the Zetter Group.

Located on Norfolk Square, Pilgrm is being launched by Jason Catifeoglou, former partner and general manager of the Zetter hotel; Andreas Thrasyvoulou, founder of MyHotels; and Steph Thrasyvoulou.

After starting his hospitality career as a bar tender at Quaglino's, London, in 1996, Helle went on to work in a variety of roles across the capital including at the Greenhouse restaurant, MyHotels and the House. He first worked with Loubet in 2009 as restaurant manager at Bistro Bruno Loubet at the Zetter Hotel before becoming food and beverage manager at the Zetter Hotel & Townhouse in 2011.

Lewis worked at Grain Store since its launch and says she is heavily influenced by Loubet. She will now head the kitchen at the 30-cover Lounge restaurant on the first floor at the Pilgrm, which will feature an open kitchen and bar. The informal menu will feature international dishes such as kimchi rice, tea poached egg and condiments for breakfast and the mushrooms and Dolcelatte cheese toastie in the evening.

The Pilgrm will also feature the Café on the ground floor, which will be located in place of a usual reception area and serve coffee, teas and pastries throughout the day. Check-in will be carried out online prior to the guest's arrival, and a 24-hour host is on hand in the Café to hand out room keys and provide guidance.

Located in a refurbished Victorian building, the Pilgrm will open on 1 November.

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