It’s been a busy month for recruitment in the global F&B sector. Keep up to date with our roundup of the latest top-tier appointments across the industry.

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Alan Taudon, Hôtel de Crillon

Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, has announced the appointment of Alan Taudon as Executive Chef, marking the beginning of a new culinary chapter for the Parisian palace.

Two-Michelin-starred Taudon is recognised for his singular vision and refined culinary identity. He brings a contemporary approach inspired by plants and the sea, rooted in delicacy, seasonality and expression. His arrival signals a new gastronomic direction for the hotel, with the first expression of his vision debuting this summer through L’Herbier Secret, an intimate dining experience set within the property’s hidden aromatic garden terrace.

Romy Gill, The Pem at Conrad London St James

The Pem at Conrad London St James is set to take a new culinary direction when the restaurant reopens as Romy Gill at The Pem, with Romy Gill MBE bringing regional Indian cuisine to the property.

Gill is one of Britain’s most recognised Indian chefs and the author of three cookbooks. Her cooking moves from the kitchens of Punjab and Bengal to the coastal flavours of Kerala and the spice traditions of Rajasthan. Her menus will feature rich curries, smoky grills, slow-braised dishes and plates designed for sharing, alongside newer ideas shaped by her travels across India.

“I want The Pem to feel lively and full of energy,” says Gill of her first permanent restaurant kitchen in six years. “I want it to be the kind of restaurant where people stay longer than they planned, order another dish because the table next to them had it and leave already thinking about when they’re coming back. That’s how I love to eat, and that’s what I want to create here.”

Oscar Abril Bonthuis, Four Seasons Hotel Osaka

Four Seasons Hotel Osaka has announced the appointment of Oscar Abril Bonthuis as Director of Food and Beverage.

With an international career spanning cruise lines, luxury hotels and all-suite properties, Abril Bonthuis brings a distinctive global perspective to the hotel’s diverse dining portfolio. He will focus on refining dining concepts and curating signature offerings, with the aim of elevating Four Seasons Hotel Osaka into one of Japan’s most compelling gastronomic destinations.

Central to Oscar’s vision is an approach to hospitality rooted in intuition, connection and thoughtful personalisation. With his leadership, the team is poised to enhance service through anticipation, storytelling and personalised guest experiences.

Steve Darou, Swinton Estate

Swinton Estate in Ripon has hired Steve Darou as Executive Head Chef. Darou joins from St John restaurants in London, where he served as Group Head Chef. He brings with him a deep respect for ingredient-led cooking, seasonality and a resourceful nose-to-tail approach.

That experience will further strengthen Swinton’s estate-to-plate ethos, with a focus on the connection between land and kitchen, championing whole-animal butchery and ensuring the estate’s produce is used with imagination, integrity and minimal waste. A key part of his role will be to develop the wider team of chefs so that they build a deeper understanding of how to handle and use ingredients from across the county, creating a more authentic expression of Swinton’s land, people and provenance.

“I am delighted to be joining Swinton and leading the food offering across the estate,” says Darou. “Having grown up in Canada with a strong connection to foraging and fishing, I have always held a deep respect for produce and provenance.”

Paola Arenas, The Standard London

Decimo, the vibrant tenth-floor restaurant and late-night destination at The Standard London, enters a new era with the addition of Paola Arenas as Head Chef. Her arrival places Mexican cooking at the heart of the restaurant, bringing a more personal, expressive and assured voice to the menu.

Under Arenas’ leadership, Decio leans more decisively into Mexican traditions, drawing on the techniques, ingredients and experiences that shaped her upbringing on the rural outskirts of Mexico City. Expect seasonal produce alongside carefully sourced seafood, open-fire-grilled meats and vegetable-led plates.

Of the restaurant’s new direction, Arenas comments: “We are building a restaurant shaped by many influences: the cuisine of Mexico, in particular Milpa Alta, a rural community outside Mexico City where I come from; the labour of many generations of women passed down to me by my mother and grandmother; the experiences I’ve gained and the people I’ve met in kitchens all over the world; and this wonderful place, which has a history of its own, shaped in no small part by chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, who has been a generous mentor to me.”

Suttichai Sripolpa, Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa in Hawaii has appointed Suttichai Sripolpa as Executive Chef. He will oversee all culinary operations throughout the resort.

Originally from the Udon Thani province in northeast Thailand, Sutti grew up working in his family’s restaurant, where he developed a deep appreciation for food, culture and hospitality. Since then, Sutti has led culinary teams at properties across the US, from MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Most recently, he served as Executive Chef at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, where he led a team of 300 people and oversaw operations across 20 dining outlets, including a convention centre, two kosher venues and a high-volume staff dining facility. He also oversaw signature restaurant concepts by Marcus Samuelsson and Scott Conant.

Jamie Smart, Kilchoan Estate by Dunton

Kilchoan Estate by Dunton, the new hospitality venture opening on Scotland’s remote Knoydart Peninsula, has welcomed Jamie Smart as Executive Chef.

The Scottish-born chef will lead the culinary programme for the 13,000-acre estate, bringing experience from some of Britain’s ingredient-led kitchens to one of the country’s most remarkable natural larders. Smart arrives at Kilchoan following a career spent in kitchens such as St John, Lyle’s, Brawn, Flor and P Franco. Most recently, he served as founding Head Chef of Cadet in North London, the cave à manger that quickly earned national acclaim.

The Edgewater Hotel, Seattle

The Edgewater Hotel in Seattle has announced new additions to its culinary team.

Executive Chef Uel Sugg oversees the culinary direction of Six Seven Restaurant, drawing on experience gained alongside chefs such as José Andrés, Michael Mina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Eric Ziebold. Inspired by the Pacific Northwest’s rich agricultural and coastal landscape, Sugg blends classical technique with a seasonal, ingredient-focused philosophy that celebrates local farms and fisheries.

Meanwhile, Thomas O’Donnell, a longtime fixture within Seattle’s restaurant community, serves as Chef de Cuisine. Executive Sous Chef Rohit Vijay Nujeti brings an elevated, globally inspired approach to the kitchen, while Banquet & Catering Chef Corbin Englerth joins the team following his tenure at Four Seasons properties in both Seattle and Jackson Hole.