Deepak Mallya Appointed Head Chef at The Ritz London
Sep 22, 2025 – London
London, Monday 22nd September 2025: Deepak Mallya has been appointed Head Chef at The Ritz London.
Deepak Mallya has been appointed Head Chef at The Ritz London, as of 1 September 2025. Reporting to The Ritz Executive Chef John Williams MBE, Deepak Mallya is second in command of the brigade of over 60 chefs at the hotel, working across the two Michelin-starred Ritz Restaurant, Afternoon Tea at The Ritz, as well as the hotel bar and garden, in-room dining, private dining and banqueting.
Deepak Mallya has been in the kitchen brigade at The Ritz London for over thirteen years, starting his hotel journey as an apprentice in January 2012 at the age of 18. From this first introduction, he was immediately captivated by the energy, ambiance and adrenaline of a professional kitchen.
John Williams MBE supported Deepak’s enrolment in the Specialised Chef Scholarship at Bournemouth and Poole College. During the three-year programme, which included his apprenticeship at The Ritz London, Deepak honed his skills across all sections of the kitchen. His rapid progression through the ranks, from Commis Chef all the way to Executive Sous Chef in 2023, highlighted his discipline, technical expertise, passion and leadership, establishing himself as a respected mentor and key figure in the kitchen’s continued success.
Deepak focuses his true love for cooking food which is routed in classic foundations to respect the heritage of the hotel, elegant in style, while also remaining at the cutting edge of modern cooking and always using the very best of produce grown in a sustainable and ethical way. The ingredients are at the forefront in the mission to drive the menus of The Ritz forward, so as to provide guests with culinary experiences they will savour for a lifetime.
Deepak’s contribution to his craft extends beyond The Ritz. He is a member of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and has been recognised by Le Conseil Magistral des Diciples d’Auguste Escoffier as a disciple of this esteemed order. Deepak has participated in various competitions, notably winning the 54th edition of “Le Taittinger” International Culinary Prize in the UK in 2021 and representing the UK at the international finals in Paris in 2022. That same year he also received a Caterer Acorn Award, acknowledging him as one of the rising stars in hospitality.
Commenting on his appointment, Deepak says; “I’m really excited by this new challenge; it’s been a dream of mine to become Head Chef of The Ritz since I started my career as an apprentice. I’m extremely proud to be a part of this amazing team – 2025 has been The Ritz Restaurant’s best year for us achieving the second Michelin star and being named Restaurant of the Year at The National Restaurant Awards – and I will continue to strive for excellence and look forward to what the future will bring.”
John Williams MBE comments, “This promotion is very well deserved. Deepak has been instrumental in driving our menus at The Ritz forward and continuously inspiring the kitchen teams to evolve. His creativity has helped to shape the culinary standards that our guests have come to expect and love.”
Sal Gowili, General Manager comments; “We’re very happy to be promoting Deepak Mallya to Head Chef at The Ritz London. It is a very exciting time in the hotel’s history as the restoration project continues to progress well and we feel confident that Deepak is going to help drive our culinary operation forward into its next chapter.”