Skegness-born Jason Atherton is not just a brilliant chef but, with a group of high-end restaurants that spans the globe, is one of the UK’s most prolific – and respected – restaurateurs.
Atherton began his career as a commis chef at the County Hotel in Skegness but decided early on to surround himself with greatness, working alongside chefs such as Pierre Koffmann, Marco Pierre White, Nico Ladenis and Ferran Adria at el Bulli before his major breakthrough came when he joined Gordon Ramsay Holdings [now The Gordon Ramsay Group] in 2001 to launch Mayfair restaurant Maze. With Atherton at the helm, Maze claimed the number one spot in the inaugural UK’s Top 100 Restaurants list in 2008, and the chef went on to help open another five around the world, including in Prague, Dubai and New York.
Atherton left the Gordon Ramsay fold in 2010 to launch his own restaurant company, Jason Atherton Ltd, opening his debut restaurant Pollen Street Social in April 2011 in Mayfair. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star just six months after opening and remains the jewel in the crown of the chef’s still burgeoning restaurant empire.
With his The Social Company, Atherton now operates a number of restaurants in the capital alongside loyal chefs whom he has made partners, including N0.5 Social, Social Eating House, City Social and Berners Tavern. His most recent projects in London include Pavlova’s bar in the Victoria Palace theatre and in autumn 2019 he will oversee the restaurant and bar offer at The Biltmore in Grosvenor Square, including The Betterment restaurant, The Terrace and The Pine Bar.
His global restaurant group now stretches from St Moritz to Shanghai, and Dubai to Doha as well as New York.
Atherton is also a supporter of numerous charities, including Hospitality Action, the MSY Charitable Foundation and the David Nichols Spinal Injury Foundation.
