Ex-Petrus chef Ben Waugh joins pasta group Bancone

Ben Waugh, former head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Petrus, has joined pasta restaurant group Bancone as group executive chef.

He will manage the kitchens in Bancone’s two London sites in Soho and Covent Garden, and develop new dishes for the brand.

Waugh has created three additions to the spring menu: Barolo ox cheek pappardelle with Barolo vinegar; wild mushroom ‘mezzaluna’ ravioli with nut butter and porcini broth; and salt baked celeriac and hazelnut agnolotti with celeriac purée and lemon oil.

Waugh started his career as a kitchen porter before completing an apprenticeship with City & Guilds. After graduating, he moved to the Raven Wood hotel in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, which held two AA rosettes at the time.

He went on to become head chef in Church’s Wine Bar and since then has worked across the Gordon Ramsay Group, moving from junior sous chef to senior sous chef and finally executive chef at Petrus.

Waugh said: “Coming to Bancone is a dream come true for me.  I’ve always wanted the opportunity to explore pasta and Italian cusine in more depth. I get to build and nurture new teams after the hell of Covid, and I get to do my favourite thing: create new dishes and bring a sense of ‘elevation’ to the cooking across the two sites, by introducing new flavours, techniques and suppliers to my chefs.

“Bancone are committed to giving the whole team a fair work-life balance which enables me to spend more quality time with my family.  I’m thrilled to be part of the team and excited to help push the brand forward.”

Bancone’s first restaurant opened in Covent Garden in 2018 and it maintained its Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2022.