By Angela Green
Chef News is sponsored by Kitchen Porters Club
Paul Danabie has been appointed Executive Chef at The Guardsman, the five-star hotel in Westminster, on Buckingham Gate. He will oversee all the hotel’s food and beverage offerings, including The Dining Room & Bar, in-room dining, and Afternoon Tea.
With an impressive culinary career spanning 36 years, Danabie brings a wealth of experience to the role. He commenced his career in Scotland at the Inverlochy Castle hotel, as an apprentice where he spent three years on-the-job training in the busy kitchens. He then spent his early years as a junior chef in the professional kitchens of various Scottish hotels including Gleneagles and latterly Cameron House, where the hotel’s fine dining restaurant achieved a Michelin Star under chef, Jeff Bland in 1995.
Danabie moved to London in 1996 and joined The Landmark Hotel in Marylebone where he spent two years as Senior Sous Chef, before he then joined The Goring Hotel in London’s Belgravia, where he spent four years working as the hotel’s Executive Sous Chef. Following his time at The Goring Hotel, he joined the team at Marriott Sprowston Manor Hotel, Golf & Country Club as Executive Chef.
He has since held Executive Chef positions at numerous establishments including Sofitel London St. James; Matfen Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf; Belmond Trains; Farmacy Restaurant in Notting Hill; and 3 Henrietta in Covent Garden.
Danabie describes his cooking style as light, healthy and seasonal, allowing the quality of the ingredients, sourced from small producers who love and care about their products, to shine through.
On his appointment and vision for The Guardsman, Paul commented: “I am delighted to be appointed as Executive Chef of The Guardsman, and I consider myself very fortunate to work in an industry I love. I’m looking forward to creating new healthy, local, and seasonal menus, made using incredible produce that we can talk to our guests about, and that the team are proud to serve. The aim is for guests to enjoy nourishing and comforting food in style and leave wanting for nothing.”
The Dining Room at The Guardsman is exclusively for hotel residents and their guests, and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with menus that feature seasonal produce from carefully selected suppliers, sourced locally where possible and served with personal, discreet service and bespoke dishes available on request.
The award-winning Afternoon Tea at The Guardsman is available for both resident and non-resident guests, and is served between 12 noon and 5pm, Wednesday to Sunday in the Drawing Room, Library, Dining Room or in St James’s Park in the summer. It’s dainty, delicious, and homemade from start to finish.
The Guardsman is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts L.V.X and Residences collections
Chef News is sponsored by Kitchen Porters Club
