David Loewi has left celebrity London hang-out the Wolseley Café, just weeks after it opened its doors to the public.
He has returned to the Conran fold as a director of Conran Holdings, which looks after the group's shops and architectural design business and overseas restaurants in New York, Paris and Stockholm.
Loewi left Conran Restaurants in July 2003 to become restaurant managing director at the Wolseley, which opened in November.
"I thoroughly enjoyed opening the Wolseley with Jeremy King and Chris Corbin and my departure is entirely amicable," he said. "I wish them and the Wolseley every success."
Loewi declined to comment any further on his move, as did a spokesperson for the Wolseley. It is not known if Loewi has retained any financial stake in the business.
He has now assumed his role at Conran Holdings, reporting directly to chief executive Des Gunewardena.
Corbin and King are the former owners of London's Ivy and Le Caprice restaurants. The 160-seat Wolseley is located on the site of the former China House complex in Piccadilly. The café's head chef is Chris Galvin, previously chef-director at Conran Restaurants.