Gordon Ramsay's protégée and all-round dab-hand in the kitchen Clare Smyth is set to part company with the culinary Mr Nasty, well Mr Shouty, and go it alone to open her own restaurant.
Smyth became the first female chef in England to hold three Michelin stars at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea.
However, she's keeping her culinary cards close to her chest at the moment and few details have been announced about the new project, save for the fact that it is due to open next autumn. Smyth remains tied to Restaurant Gordon Ramsay until then as she will stay on as a consultant.
She explains that she is leaving because she wants to capitalize on her success: "Restaurant Gordon Ramsay has been a big part of my life ... I am grateful for the opportunities it has given me. I also remain ambitious and want to build on my success."
Ramsay is full of praise for the chef and in full support of Smyth's venture, saying that she "is undoubtedly one of the greatest chefs to have graced my kitchen and has now become the most prominent female chef of our generation."
