Ben Waugh

The Climb

Progress through Gordon Ramsay Restaurants gave Waugh a long, kitchen-led apprenticeship in senior service. From 2010–2016, he was Senior Sous Chef, before moving to Head Chef from 2016–2017. He then became executive chef from 2017–2020, returned as Head Chef from 2020–2021, and has been group exec chef of Bancone since 2021. The sequence is notable for its consistency: each step sits inside the same professional frame, shaped by the demands and repetition of high-pressure kitchens.

Today

Since 2021, the group executive chef role at Bancone has given Waugh a setting that matches his approach. The significance is in the fit. The brief here is not excess, but reduction — flavour pared back to what matters, with ingredients allowed to carry the plate.

Signature

The signature dishes point directly to Waugh’s kitchen priorities. SILK HANDKERCHIEF CARBONARA signals a fine hand with pasta and a preference for precision in the final plate. Cornish cod, tagliatelle, tomato, caper, olive sits in a sharper, cleaner register, while Wild mushroom mezzaluna ravioli, nut butter, porcini broth leans deeper and more grounded. Salt baked celeriac, rigatoni, almond, lemon brings texture and contrast, and Silk handkerchiefs with smoked beurre blanc completes a list that shows consistency of method: composed, restrained, and strongly pasta-led.

In Their Words “I’ve always wanted the opportunity to explore pasta and Italian cuisine in more depth.”