Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley

Marcus Wareing
Marcus Wareing
Born	June 29, 1970 (age 56); Southport, Lancashire, England
Occupation(s)	Chef, restaurateur, television presenter, cookbook author
Years active	1988–present
Known for	Michelin-starred restaurants, judge on MasterChef: The Professionals

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 10 August 2025

Marcus Wareing (born 29 June 1970) is a renowned English chef and former proprietor of the Michelin-starred restaurant Marcus, which ceased operations permanently in December 2023. Since 2014, he has been a judge on the television series MasterChef: The Professionals.

Early life

Marcus Wareing was born in 1970 in Southport, Lancashire. His father operated a fruit and potato business that supplied local schools. At the age of 11, Wareing assisted by packing potatoes for 10p per bag, money he diligently saved. The demanding work schedule of his father instilled a strong work ethic in him, although the family business eventually declined as schools transitioned to using pre-prepared frozen meals.

During his time at Stanley High School, Wareing identified his natural aptitude for cooking. He subsequently completed a three-year catering qualification through City & Guilds at Southport College.

Career

Wareing launched his professional culinary journey in 1988 at the prestigious Savoy Hotel, working under chef Anton Edelmann as a commis chef. In 1993, he joined Michelin-starred Le Gavroche under Albert Roux, where he first crossed paths with Gordon Ramsay. He further broadened his experience by working in restaurants located in New York City, Amsterdam, and Sussex before becoming sous chef at Ramsay’s Aubergine. Over a span of fifteen years, Wareing developed a close professional relationship with Ramsay and was widely regarded as his protégé. In 1995, he received the Young Chef of the Year accolade from the Restaurant Association.

Following a year spent working with chefs Daniel Boulud in the United States and Guy Savoy in France, Wareing returned to the UK to take on the role of head chef at L’Oranger, part of A-Z Restaurants. At just 25 years old, he secured his first Michelin star there. However, after a contractual disagreement between Ramsay and A-Z Restaurants led to both parties departing their roles, Wareing also left L’Oranger. This exit triggered the restaurant’s temporary closure and subsequent legal disputes that were ultimately resolved through an out-of-court settlement.

In 1999, Wareing assumed head chef duties at Pétrus, a venue opened by Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH). Under his leadership, Pétrus swiftly regained its Michelin star and relocated to the Berkeley Hotel in 2003, taking over from Pierre Koffmann’s La Tante Claire. That same year, Wareing was appointed Chef Patron of the Savoy Grill and earned the title of Chef of the Year at the Catey Awards. Pétrus achieved two Michelin stars along with five AA Rosettes, while Savoy Grill was awarded its inaugural Michelin star in 2004.

Expanding his ventures, Wareing launched Banquette, an American-style diner within the Savoy, and opened La Fleur in Pétrus’ former premises; however, La Fleur closed due to lease complications. In 2007, Pétrus was awarded its second Michelin star.

In 2008, Wareing took over the lease of Pétrus independently from GRH and inaugurated his own establishment, Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, following a public legal dispute with Ramsay over brand ownership. The conflict concluded with Ramsay retaining rights to the Pétrus name and Wareing agreeing to a confidentiality agreement. Wareing’s restaurant received multiple accolades including Best Restaurant in London by Harden's guide (2008-2009), a Michelin star in 2009, and Time Out’s restaurant of the year in 2010. Meanwhile, Ramsay opened a new Pétrus nearby.

The opening of Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley led to the formation of Marcus Wareing Restaurants, which now encompasses three dining venues. In 2009, Wareing was honored as GQ’s Chef of the Year. In 2011, after winning a competitive bid against GRH, he launched The Gilbert Scott at St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. His culinary approach focuses on high-quality seasonal British ingredients sourced from small-scale suppliers.

Following renovations to Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley in 2014—when it was renamed Marcus—Wareing introduced Tredwells in Seven Dials alongside Group Operations Director Chantelle Nicholson, who became Chef Patron in 2016 and sole owner by 2020. After enjoying a successful ten-year run, The Gilbert Scott closed its doors in 2021. In September 2023, Wareing announced that his Michelin-starred Marcus restaurant would permanently close by year-end; its final service took place on 26 December.

Television and other media

Wareing made his television debut as Ramsay's sous chef in Channel 4's 1999 documentary Boiling Point. The sequel, Beyond Boiling Point (2000), documented his time at Pétrus and his achievement of a first Michelin star. In 2003, he took part in a photographic project that recreated Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper.

In 2006, Wareing represented Northern England on BBC's Great British Menu, ultimately winning the public vote to prepare a dish for Queen Elizabeth II’s 80th birthday celebration. He later returned as a judge on subsequent seasons, occasionally engaging in disagreements with contestants such as Johnnie Mountain. Although critical of programs like MasterChef for promoting celebrity ambitions over culinary rigor, Wareing has appeared across various MasterChef editions.

Following the controversial conclusion of Michel Roux Jr.'s contract, Wareing replaced him as a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals.

Wareing is the author of nine cookbooks; among his HarperCollins publications are Marcus at Home (2016), which remained on The Sunday Times bestseller list for five weeks, along with New Classics (2017), Marcus Everyday (2019), and Marcus' Kitchen (2021).

In collaboration with Compass Group UK & Ireland in 2021, he launched Forward with Marcus Wareing—an apprenticeship initiative designed to nurture culinary talent.

His BBC Two series Marcus Wareing's Tales from a Kitchen Garden premiered in 2022 and returned for a second season in 2023, highlighting British food producers and sustainable practices from his East Sussex smallholding.

December 2023 saw the Food Network air Marcus Wareing At Christmas, a ten-episode holiday cooking series.

In March 2024, the BBC commissioned Marcus Wareing Simply Provence, which was broadcast on BBC2 and BBC iPlayer in May 2024.

Personal life

Wareing is married to Jane, with whom he shares three children: Jake, Archie, and Jessie. They met when he was second chef at Gravetye Manor and she worked at reception. After relocating to London to join Ramsay at Aubergine, Wareing maintained their relationship by traveling back to Sussex every Sunday. Ramsay served as best man at their wedding in 2000 and is godfather to their eldest son.

Wareing has contributed to charities including Action Against Hunger, participating in fundraising events such as the Taste of London festival. In 2012, drawing on his amateur boxing experience, he took part in a white-collar boxing match supporting the Hilton in the Community Foundation. He also advocates for sustainable fishing through the Environmental Justice Foundation’s campaign. Among his culinary inspirations is Daniel Humm’s cookbook from Eleven Madison Park.

Published works

How to cook the perfect... (2007, Dorling Kindersley)
Knife Skills (2008, Dorling Kindersley)
One Perfect Ingredient, three ways to cook it (2008, Bantam)
Nutmeg and Custard (2009, Bantam)
The Gilbert Scott Book of British Food (2013, Bantam)
Marcus at Home (2016, HarperCollins)
New Classics (2017, HarperCollins)
Marcus Everyday (2019, HarperCollins)
Marcus' Kitchen (2021, HarperCollins)
Marcus' France (2024, HarperCollins)

External links