Paul Bates named executive chef at the Hilton London Metropole

Paul Bates has been appointed as the new executive chef at the Hilton London Metropole.

Bates will lead the change of the food and beverage offering at the hotel, which is the largest Hilton outside the US, as part of multimillion-pound refurbishment.

He will oversee the relaunch of its four restaurants and bars, in-room dining service and banqueting across 35 events spaces and meeting rooms.

Bates has held executive chef roles at several leading hotels over the past 20 years, including the InterContinental Park Lane and Hilton London Bankside, where he oversaw its 800 cover food and beverage offering. He recently departed the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel, where Nigel Boschetti has now returned as executive chef.

At the Hilton London Metropole he will launch new dining and drinking concepts inspired by the capital’s food scene. The flagship restaurant is billed as a ‘warm and welcoming brasserie’ while the hotel will also launch a new market-style dining area, offering both eat-in and takeaway dishes.

Bates said: “I am so excited to be joining at this incredible time of change. We're going to be approaching some of our outlets unlike any other hotel has before, all while representing our amazing city – London – creating dishes made with the best locally sourced British ingredients. I can't wait for our guests to see what we've been cooking up!"

The renovation is due to be completed by summer 2021.