Portrait of Paul Leonard
i. Biography
Paul Leonard is the head chef at The Forest Side in Grasmere, Lake District, appointed in November 2019 following his role at The Devonshire Arms in Bolton Abbey where he earned four AA Rosettes for Burlington restaurant in his first year. Originally from Hull, Yorkshire, he trained at Hull College and gained experience under Marcus Wareing at Pétrus and Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, retaining a Michelin star as his first head chef at The Isle of Eriska in Scotland. Under his leadership, The Forest Side has retained its Michelin star, earned a Michelin green star for sustainability, five AA Rosettes in 2025, and was listed in La Liste Best Restaurants.
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