Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall Bids Farewell To Head Chef

One of Cornwall’s leading restaurants and social enterprises, Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, is bidding farewell to head chef Andy Appleton after nearly 10 years.

It was Jamie Oliver himself who brought Andy into the Fifteen Cornwall kitchen.  During his 10 years, he has designed menus and cooked meals that have delighted over three quarters of a million guests; overseen the training of over one hundred new chefs; nurtured over thirty local micro and small food businesses to bring innovative, high quality Cornish and Italian produce to the award winning table; and has helped lead Cornwall’s gastronomic revolution.  Andy is now leaving Fifteen Cornwall to begin the next chapter in his celebrated culinary career.

Matthew Thomson, Fifteen Cornwall chief executive says, “Running a brigade of 16 chefs, often with the same number again of apprentices, is a big undertaking.  Fifteen Cornwall is one of the biggest restaurants in the region and Andy has been central to our success.  His commitment and creativity have inspired hundreds of chefs and apprentices and he will always be at the heart of our story. I am very grateful to him for his unfailing support.” 

Jamie Oliver says, “I’ve known Andy for a long time and he has done an incredible job in building Fifteen Cornwall’s reputation as a world class restaurant and champion of aspiring chefs. I’d like to give him a massive thank you for all his hard work, his leadership and his dedication towards the Apprenticeship Programme.  He’s a great chef and I wish him well in whatever he does next.”

Andy Appleton says, “I came to Fifteen Cornwall to help out for one year – and that was almost ten years ago! It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work with so many amazing people, chefs, apprentices and suppliers – and I am very proud of what we’ve achieved together.  I’m confident that whoever comes next will love working at Fifteen Cornwall as much as I have.”

As Jamie and the Fifteen Cornwall team wish Andy a sad farewell, the hunt is now on for an extraordinary food leader to guide the restaurant to new horizons.

Matthew Thomson adds, “With every farewell, a new adventure starts – and the search is now on for exciting new talent, to be part of our future Fifteen story.”

The executive chef role, which is open now for applications, is a full, varied and exciting position.  The chosen chef will lead a culture of creative excellence and be integral to the strategic development of Fifteen Cornwall.  He or she will have full responsibility for the kitchen, from training through to recipe and menu development.  An extraordinary set of skills will be needed to nurture both talent and flavour in this unique ocean-side location – inspiring Fifteen Cornwall’s chefs, apprentices and customers.

For further information on this, and other chef positions at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall visit www.fifteencornwall.co.uk/join-our-team