Chef James Durrant steps down from The Game Bird

James Durrant has stepped down from his position as executive chef at The Stafford in London, home to the The Game Bird restaurant, and former chef director of the Salt Yard Group, Ben Tish, has been appointed culinary director.

(L-R) Ben Tish, newly appointed culinary director, Stuart Procter, general manager of The Stafford, and newly appointed executive chef Jozef Rogulski

In the role Tish will oversee the food offering across The Game Bird restaurant, the American Bar, Wine Cellars, private dining, suites and in-room dining at the hotel, and will also see Tish launch new restaurant projects “in the near future that will focus on Ben’s signature style and love of European cuisine,” a release stated. 

Ben joins from his previous role as chef director of Salt Yard Group, during which time he launched Soho sites of Dehesa, Ember Yard and Opera Tavern.

“I am delighted to be joining the team at The Stafford,” said Tish. “They have had such a great year in 2017 with the launch of The Game Bird, and I am excited to oversee the food offering in the restaurant and throughout the hotel moving forwards, as well as working with the team on new restaurant projects in the future.

James Durrant has stepped down from his position as executive chef at the hotel, leaving The Stafford less than a year after he joined to help launch The Game Bird in March. Durrant has 20 years experience in the trade with posts prior to The Game Bird including stints at Royal Hospital Road, Gordon Ramsay’s three-Michelin-starred Maze, Claridge’s, again under the tutelage of Ramsay, and again at Maze, returning as head chef working alongside Jason Atherton.

In 2010 James left Maze to pursue his ambition of opening his own restaurant, temporarily working as a private chef for the Rothschild family, and later launching The Plough Inn in Longparish, Hampshire, in 2012, which has since closed.

In his place, head chef Jozef Rogulski has been promoted to executive chef. Rogulski has previously held roles at Cliveden Country House Hotel, Tom Kerridge’s The Hand and Flowers and the Roux brothers’ The Waterside Inn in Bray.