MBE and OBE, television personality, author, talented chef awarded a MICHELIN Star for "Murano" in London, successful entrepreneur, and collaborator with Gordon Ramsay for several years: Angela Hartnett has built an exemplary career with dedication and passion.
Angela Hartnett was born in Canterbury in 1968. From a young age, she developed a great passion for quality food and the finest ingredients, influenced by her Italian grandmother and mother.
At the age of 18, she spent a year in Italy as an au pair before graduating in history from Cambridge Polytechnic. However, her love for gastronomy led her to pursue a career in professional kitchens, starting with a debut in a hotel in Cambridge and later at the "Sandy Lane Hotel" in Barbados.
In 1994, she returned to the UK and began working at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant "Aubergine." She continued to collaborate with the chef in other restaurants such as "Zafferano" and "L'Oranger" before becoming head chef at the "Petrus" restaurant, contributing to earning a MICHELIN Star.
Over the years, Angela Hartnett worked with Ramsay on the opening of several restaurants, including "Amaryllis" in Scotland and "Verre" in Dubai, "MENU," "Cielo," and "The Grill Room" at the "Connaught Hotel," but later ended her collaboration with Gordon Ramsay Holdings Ltd.
In 2003, Angela won the Best Newcomer Award and the BMW Best New Restaurant award from the SquareMeal guides. Just before the temporary closure of the Connaught for renovations in 2007, Angela Hartnett published her first book titled "Cucina: Three Generations of Italian Family Cooking." That same year, she was honored with the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contribution to the hospitality industry.
In August 2008, Angela opened "Murano," a high-end Italian restaurant in Mayfair, which earned a MICHELIN star and four AA Rosettes; in 2013, she launched "Cafe Murano" in St James, and two years later, another branch in Covent Garden. In 2013, she also opened "Merchant's Tavern" in collaboration with her husband, Neil Borthwick, who is the head chef of the restaurant, along with Dominic Lake and Patrick Clayton-Malone.
In 2015, she started "Pastificio," a deli-cafe, wine bar, and pasta factory that produces fresh pasta for restaurants every four hours.
From January to March 2016, Angela Hartnett co-hosted "Tomorrow's Food" with Dara Ó Briain, Chris Bavin, and Dr. Shini Somara on BBC One. The series explored innovative technologies and products that are changing the way we grow, buy, and consume food worldwide.
Over the years, Angela has also participated in various television series, including "Hell's Kitchen UK," "MasterChef UK," and "Kitchen Criminals," and appeared in the documentary "The Heart: a Kitchen (R)evolution" by Maya Gallus. In 2022, the chef was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her contributions to the hospitality industry and her dedication during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cover Photo: @MarkHarrison
