Adam Simmonds is the executive chef at The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge, London. He took over in May after Nathan Outlaw let go of his eponymous restaurant at the historic hotel earlier this year.
The chef's career so far has been an illustrious one: he went straight from college in Leighton Buzzard to an apprenticeship at Le Gavroche, followed by roles at The Ritz, Les Saveurs, l'Escargot and Le Manoir.

His first head chef position at The Greenway saw him earn 3 AA Rosettes; he won a Michelin star and 4AA Rosettes at Ynyshir in Wales; another star for Danesfield House, as well as 4 AA Rosettes and a 13th position in the Good Food Guide's top 100 restaurant ranking.

The chef then sought to open a restaurant in London, following a successful pop-up in Soho, The Test Kitchen, but struggled to find investors, as, he said, "it didn't stack up for them as a viable business."

Nonetheless, his position at The Capital is one he feels "very honoured and grateful" for. We spoke to him about his interest in seasonality, his approach to menu design and how he's trying to get more young people working in kitchens.

If you enjoyed this we will be uploading a new episode each week - if you are not already become a member of The Staff Canteen and keep up to date: https://www.thestaffcanteen.com/index/register

Please support us if you like what we do: https://www.patreon.com/Thestaffcanteen