Paul Michael Gayler MBE is an English Chef whose career spans over 44 years working in restaurants and hotels both in England and a short period in France.
Paul Gayler grew up in Dagenham, Greater London with his two siblings. His mother worked as a machinist and his father, a draughtsman. His interest in cooking began when, at age 11, his parents opened a wedding catering business. He was awarded an MBE in the queen’s jubilee honours list in 2012 for serving in the hospitality industry and charitable causes.
To date, he has raised, along with other industry chef support, some £400,000 for the Teenage cancer trust and chef for heroes’ charities, supporting the armed forces. He was also a member of the culinary team for fundraising activities for the RAF bomber command MEMORIAL Statue in Piccadilly London between 2010-2011.
After leaving Westminster College in 1974, he went on to work in France at the Crillon Hotel in Paris, under chef Dominique Bouchet. In 1975 he returned to London to work with chef Remy Fougere at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington where he stayed for 7 years rising from a commis to Executive sous chef. He then went on to work with Swiss master chef Anton Mosimann at the Dorchester in Mayfair for 2 years in 1980-82 as Executive sous chef. In 1982, he then took on his first head chef role at Michelin starred Inigo Jones restaurant in Covent garden, where he stayed for 7 years, finishing as Chef Director. During that time, he also opened several other restaurants with restaurant owners at Café Swiss in Islington and Burts in London’s Soho District. In 1989, he left to open the £40 million Halkin Hotel in Knightsbridge, before opening the 5* £120 million Lanesborough Hotel on Hyde Park Corner, London in 1991 as Executive chef.
He remained at the hotel for 22 years until 2013, picking up industry awards for the hotel Conde Nast Gold List Winner 2001; Worlds Travel Awards, England’s Leading Hotel 2004 & 2005; Zagat Survey Top International Hotel 2005; Tea Guild Award Best Afternoon Tea 2005 & 2008; Forbes Traveller 400, Best Hotels in the World 2008; or CBNC European Business, UK Leading Hotel 2006.
He left the Lanesborough when it closed for major renovation in 2013. Leaving to concentrate on his consultancy business Feedback, supporting all aspects of the industry from project and food development, training, as well as judging and motivational speaking at Industry events around the globe.
Affiliated to CELEBRITY LIMELIGHT MANAGEMENT since 1995, acting as a personal agent for appearance and book publications.
During his career he has appeared on TV cookery programmes including Hot Chefs (BBC) 1992, Take Six More Cooks (Thames TV) 1998, This Morning with Richard and Judy (London Studios) 1989, Surprise Chefs (ITV) 1994, Quisine (ITV) 1997, BBC Food and Drink programme 1982, Saturday Kitchen (BBC2) 2002, Carlton Food Network Daily 1994-1996, Open House with Gloria Hunniford (Channel 5) 1999, or Green Gourmet (own 12 part series – Carlton food network) 1995. Also featured on American Great Chefs of the World series (Episode 8) in 2015.
He was also involved in menu development for British Airways Concorde flights in 1992, as well as developing with a team of other celebrity chefs the original Tesco Finest range in 1998.
During his career he has contributed to many cookbooks and written for many food magazines, these include: Take Six More Cooks (accompanying the TV series) 1998 (channel 4), BBC Hot Chefs (accompanying the TV series) 1992 (BBC books), Complete Master Chef Cookbook 1997 (Weidenfeld & Nicholson), London on a Plate 2002 (Black & white publishing), The Cooks Book 2005 (Dorling Kindersley), Help for Heroes cookbook 2009 (Accent press), Desert Island Dishes 2012 (Infinite ideas ltd), BBC Good Food Magazine 1995-1999, Fresh Magazine 2007-2009, Contributor on BBC FOOD Chefs website since 2000, or Tesco vegetarian magazine 2001-2003.
He has also been published in the following: Best of British Men 1993 (Best of British publications), Debretts People of Today 1995 (Debretts), International Who’s Who of chefs 2004 (IWWC), Dictionary of International biography 2017, 38th Edition (Nicholas. S .Law)
He has also featured in guest chef appearances around the world including Caledonian Hotel, Edinburgh 1985; Hilton Hotel, Singapore 1990; Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas 1990; Beverley Wiltshire hotel, Los Angeles 1991; Rosewood Culinary Week, La Sammana, St Maarten 1994; Corinthia Hotel, Malta 1997; Corinthia Hotel, Prague 1998; The Houstonian, Houston Texas 1999; Lochgreen House Hotel, Scotland 2007; Jesmond Deane House Hotel, Newcastle 2008; or Soneva Gili Six Senses Hotel, Maldives 2011.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, member since 1980; Honorary Fellow of the Master Chefs of Great Britain since 2003; Fellow of the Craft Guild of Chefs since 1988; Chaine de Rotisseurs (Maître Rotisseur) 2011; British Culinary Federation, member since 2005; Guild de Fromagers, initiated 1987; or Member of the Order of the Coteaux de Champagne.
Between his most important awards and honours he was awarded an MBE 2012, Queens Jubilee Honours list; Catey award for outstanding contribution to the hospitality industry 2012; Special award by Craft Guild of chefs for outstanding contribution to the hospitality industry 1996; Vice Presidents Special award Craft guild of chefs 2007; Honorary Fellowship West London University 2008; Honorary Fellowship Johnson & Wales, Charlotte USA 2008; Awarded title One of the World’s best Chefs by the American Academy of Sciences’, 5 diamond award; Awarded Palmes Culinaire by Association Culinaire Francaise 1991; or Initiated into UK Disciples of Escoffier 2008.
He Competed in culinary competitions in the UK and Abroad with some of the following successes Meal of the year competition (UK competition winner 1977); Mouton Cadet menu competition (Greater London winner 1977, UK competition winner 1979, UK competition winner 1982 and UK competition runner up 1984); Prix Pierre Taittinger competition (Semi-finalist Paris 1979 and Semi-finalist Paris 1981); International Kochkunst with Gold medals (Karlsruhe 1981, Feldkirch 1982 and Basle 1982); Frankfurt Culinary Olympics 1984, Competed in culinary salons around the UK from 1976 – 1988.
Welcome on board esteemed fellow Paul Gayler MBE!
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