| Born | 1971 (age 40–41) Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England |
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| Cooking style | French/Italian cuisine |
| Education | Boston College, Lincolnshire Army Catering Corps |
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| http://www.jasonatherton.co.uk/ | |
Jason Atherton (born September 6, 1971 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire),[1] is an English chef. He was the Executive Chef at Gordon Ramsay's Michelin starred Maze in London until 30 April 2010.
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The son of a Skegness hotelier and her joiner husband, Atherton ran away to London when his parents were on holiday aged 16.[2] After training at Boston College, Lincolnshire, he spent six weeks training with the Army Catering Corps, which he hated.[1]
After working as commis chef at Skegness’ County hotel, he returned to London as commis chef under Boyd Gilmour, and then under Pierre Koffmann (at La Tante Claire) and Nico Ladenis. He then joined Marco Pierre White at Harvey’s, before joining Restaurant Marco Pierre White at the Hyde Park Hotel.[1]
Atherton then served as sous chef at Stephen Terry’s Coast, before becoming head chef at Oliver Peyton’s Mash & Air in Manchester. In 1998 Atherton backpacked to Spain, and became the first British chef to complete a stage at Ferran Adrià’s three-Michelin-star El Bulli restaurant after initially agreeing to work unpaid.[3]
"A defining point in my career came when I moved to Spain in 98 and found myself in one of the world's most creative and respected kitchens, El Bulli, under the tutelage of Ferran Adrià. I was so keen to go there that I was quite happy to work for free for the first season, but the experience was priceless. It was during this time that my thirst for Spanish culture, and in particular its food, became insatiable, so much so that even on my days off you'd more often than not find me hanging around the Boqueria market in Barcelona, staring in awe at the array of fresh fish, wandering among stalls where Ibérico ham legs hang from the ceiling like chandeliers, smelling the earthy, woody mushrooms from Monterey and tasting the sweet nectar of fruits ripened by the Spanish sun. Above all, though, I'd just stand and watch the housewives scurry from stall to stall, and daydream about what their lucky husbands were going to get for dinner."
Atherton returned to London to work alongside Stephen Terry at Claudio Pulze’s Frith Street restaurant, winning Caterer and Hotelkeeper Acorn award for young achievers in 2000 for his work at both Frith Street and as executive chef at the Cantina Vinopolis. After opening L’Anis in Kensington in 2001 with Pulze, on its closure he joined Gordon Ramsay in 2002 as executive chef of the Verre and Glasshouse restaurants at the Hilton Dubai Creek, Dubai.[5]
Atherton returned to London in 2005, to open Maze at the Marriott Grosvenor Square hotel, mixing contemporary French food with Asian nuances. The restaurant won a Michelin star and three AA rosettes within a year of opening, and now has branches in New York city and Prague, Czech Republic. Following a period of sales not being as high as hoped, the Prague venture was effectively closed in February 2009.[6]
In April 2010, Atherton announced that he was leaving Maze to open his own restaurant in Mayfair rumoured to be entitled Pollen Street Social. It will be a 60 cover seat restaurant with private dining rooms.[7] The restaurant is scheduled to open on 18 April 2011, with reservations being taken from 31 March.[8] It will also feature London's first dessert bar.
In May 2010 Atherton opened his first independent restaurant venture, at the Waterhouse at South Bund hotel in Shanghai.[9] called "table no. 1 by Jason Atherton". The kitchen there is currently led by head chef Scott Melvin, who is also a business partner, owning 50% of the business.[10]
Atherton has become a regular guest on BBC One's Saturday Kitchen, alongside host James Martin.[11][12]
In 2008, Atherton won the London and Southeast heat of the BBC Two programme Great British Menu – the judges were his old boss Peyton, alongside Prue Leith and Matthew Fort. He eventually won the starter and main course section in a public vote, in a meal served at The Gherkin, hosted by Heston Blumenthal.
Married, Atherton and his wife live in South London with their baby daughters.