Jason Atherton has emerged as the pre-eminent chef and restaurateur of his generation. His 17-strong worldwide The Social Company restaurant group stretches from the flagship Michelin starred Pollen Street Social in London to New York, Dubai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney and Cebu in the Philippines.

Atherton trained with some of the legends of modern gastronomy including Pierre Koffmann, Marco Pierre White and Nico Ladenis and was the first British chef to work alongside Ferran Adria at el Bulli in Spain. He joined the Gordon Ramsay Group in 2001 and launched Maze in 2005, bringing the concept of modern small plate dining to London for the first time. It was so successful that Atherton oversaw the opening of a further five Maze restaurants around the world.

Atherton broke the mould again when he opened Pollen Street Social in Mayfair in 2011, deformalizing fine dining with a large buzzy cocktail bar, stylish but relaxed dining room and London’s first dessert bar. Although the vibe in the restaurant is fun and upbeat, there’s some serious cooking going on in the show kitchen that’s visible through a plate glass window. Atherton proudly uses the best seasonal British produce from selected suppliers and features it in sophisticated and exquisitely plated dishes such as a tasting plate of Lake District lamb with loin and braised shoulder shepherd’s pie served with spiced tomato and mint sauce.

Atherton is as tirelessly inventive as a restaurateur as he is a chef, with each new opening having a distinct identity. His London restaurants alone cover everything from grill and deli food at Temple and Sons, refined Japanese cuisine at Sosharu and New York Italian at Hai Cenato, while his global destinations include The Pig and Palm in Cebu serving Spanish tapas and Kensington Street Social in Sydney specialising in British-Mediterranean sharing dishes.

 Atherton proudly uses the best seasonal British produce from selected suppliers and features it in sophisticated and exquisitely plated dishes such as a tasting plate of Lake District lamb with loin and braised shoulder shepherd’s pie served with spiced tomato and mint sauce.

Atherton’s television appearances include Great British Menu, Saturday Kitchen, Masterchef and My Kitchen Rules which he co-hosted with Lorraine Pascale. Atherton has been named Chef of The Year by The Caterer magazine and Best Restaurateur in the GQ Food & Drink Awards. In addition to a Michelin star, Pollen Street Social has been awarded 5 AA Rosettes by the AA Guide, named The Good Food Guide’s Best New Restaurant and hailed the third best restaurant in the UK. Atherton also holds Michelin stars at Social Eating House and City Social in London and is the author of four cookbooks including Social Suppers.