John Wood deserts Cliveden for golden sands of the Gulf

Executive head chef John Wood is leaving Berkshire's Cliveden hotel on 1 July to become executive chef at the luxury Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai.

Wood is the latest chef to leave the UK and head for the emirate. At the beginning of the year his one-time boss and mentor from the Dorchester, Willi Elsener, moved there.

Wood said: "This is a golden opportunity for me, and Willi sparked my interest in considering the move."

Elsener is head of development of food production at the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management and culinary adviser to Jumeirah International, owner of the 202-bedroom Burj al Arab.

In the past few months Elsener has been joined at the academy by Michael Kitts, former chef-director of London's Butlers Wharf Chef School, and Graham Challender, once a sous chef at the Dorchester.

Wood, rumoured to be receiving a six-figure salary, will oversee 130 chefs at four restaurants.

His departure from Cliveden follows that of Stephen Carter, who gave up his position as operations director of the Cliveden Group at the end of last year.

Wood denied his departure had anything to do with the hotel. He said: "It is heart-wrenching to leave Cliveden, but the Burj al Arab is a once-in-a-lifetime job." Cliveden is expected to announce his replacement next week.

Chef Gordon Ramsay is believed to be in advanced negotiations to run the catering at the Hilton by the Creek hotel, which opens in Dubai in October. The hotel will have 154 bedrooms and three restaurants.

by Sara Guild and Jenny Webster

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 10-16 May 2001