James Goodyear

Coming Up

The line from chef to Head Chef to Executive Head Chef is clear enough here: James Goodyear has built his career in stages that reward repetition, standards, and close control. At Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, he worked in a kitchen known for exacting work; at Welbourne Restaurants, he took on more responsibility; and at Evelyn's Table (2023–2024), he held another senior post in a progression that has advanced through sustained practice rather than noise. His own description of the work points straight back to technique: “My cooking is classically French trained and that foundation comes through in everything I do.” Read plainly, that places French training not as a label but as the structure underneath the cooking — a way of organising flavour, balance, and precision. In London since 2025, as Executive Head Chef at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High, that background remains the working frame.

Where They Are Now

Sourcing and restraint sit at the centre of Goodyear’s current thinking. “It's all about sourcing the best produce and treating it with the respect it deserves - keeping things natural, with clean and uncomplicated flavours.” That is a kitchen language built around produce first: less interference, more attention to the ingredient as it arrives. The emphasis is on clarity of treatment, not elaboration. His approach also draws from the places that have shaped his reference points, particularly Scandinavia and across Europe. Those influences appear in the way he speaks about a more modern, nature-led style, with seasonality doing the heavy lifting. The point is not atmosphere for its own sake, but a practical read on ingredients, climate, and timing. Off the stove, he keeps returning to movement and the outdoors as part of the same discipline. “Spending time outdoors has always been important to me. Nature, sport, and staying active give me balance and perspective, and they strongly influence how I approach my work.” For a chef working at senior level, that kind of balance is not decorative; it is part of how the work stays steady.

In Their Words “Spending time outdoors has always been important to me. Nature, sport, and staying active give me balance and perspective, and they strongly influence how I approach my work.” “I draw inspiration from the places I’ve worked – particularly Scandinavia and across Europe – to shape a more modern, nature-led approach focused on seasonality.”

Honors

James's honors include William Heptinstall Award (2013) and Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Award (2012).