Isabela Tavares-Vas announced as executive head chef at the Kensington hotel

Isabela Tavares-Vaz has been named executive head chef at the Doyle Collection’s Kensington hotel in London.

The Brazilian-born chef ran her own catering business in São Paulo and worked as head chef at the 120-cover Restaurante 153.

After moving to the UK in 2019, she worked as sous chef at the Athenaeum Hotel and Residences amid the UK’s coronavirus lockdowns, cooking for some of the hotel’s long-stay residential guests.

She then joined Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts in London in 2022 as executive sous chef, before being promoted to executive head chef.

In her new role at the 116-room Kensington hotel, she will lead the culinary direction of the Town House restaurant and oversee the K Bar menu, afternoon tea, private and in-room dining and event catering.

Tavares-Vaz said had incorporated some of her “favourite ingredients and influences” into the menus across the hotel.

Klaus Kabelitz, who joined the Kensington as general manager last October, said: “Isabela brings exceptional talent and fresh creativity to our team. With her leadership in the kitchen, we look forward to continuing to enhance the Kensington’s reputation as a valued culinary destination in South Kensington.”

The Doyle Collection is an Irish family-owned hotel group which runs eight hotels across Dublin, Cork, London, Bristol and Washington DC.