Steve Smith to take over from Matt Worswick at Pennyhill Park

Pennyhill Park in Bagshot, Surrey, has appointed Steve Smith as head chef of its one-Michelin-starred Latymer restaurant.

He will take over from Matt Worswick, who has been in the role for nearly four years, in February.

Smith is currently executive chef of the Club Hotel & Spa in Jersey, where the Bohemia restaurant was awarded one Michelin star seven months after his appointment in 2013. Bohemia is the only restaurant in the Channel Islands to hold five AA rosettes, an accolade it achieved in 2017.

During a stellar career, Smith has worked with chefs Jean-Christophe Novelli, Shaun Hill, Paul Heathcote and Simon Gueller. He achieved his first Michelin star at the age of 24 when he was head chef at Novelli's Gordleton Mill in Lymington, Hampshire, and went on to receive the accolade again at the Burlington restaurant at the Devonshire Arms hotel in Skipton, West Yorkshire, where he was head chef for five years.

Smith says of his appointment: "I'm incredibly excited to be joining the Latymer, it's a fantastic opportunity to further develop my cuisine and the restaurant in such a beautiful setting. My food will be flavour and texture driven using the best available seasonal produce."

Graham Copeman, general manager of the 124-bedroom Pennyhill Park, added: "We're thrilled to have Steve join us at the hotel and for us all to have the opportunity to work with such a passionate chef. His commitment to the finest gastronomy matches our philosophies here at Pennyhill Park and I look forward to seeing the direction in which he takes the restaurant."

In 2014, Smith was named Chef of the Year for less than 250 covers at The Caterer's Hotel Cateys.