Wed 3rd Jun 2015 - Gordon Ramsay hires ‘Jocky’ Petrie as exec development chef Gordon Ramsay Group hires James Petrie as group executive development chef: Gordon Ramsay Group has hired James ‘Jocky’ Petrie as group executive development chef. Petrie will be working closely with all of the teams in the Group, helping to further develop and nourish the talent and creativity across all 14 of the UK restaurants in the company’s portfolio. He began his kitchen career as a pot washer in his native Oban on the Western coast of Scotland. Following a brief period of study at Perth College, he began working in the kitchen of Kinnaird House Hotel and was quickly promoted to head of pastry within six months. He later joined Hambleton Hall in the Midlands before moving to the USA to lead the pastry team at the world-renowned The Inn at Little Washington in Virginia. In 2001, Petrie returned to the UK and joined The Fat Duck, where he quickly rose to the role of head pastry chef during the time that the restaurant achieved its third Michelin star. In 2009, he was appointed head of development of The Fat Duck Experimental Kitchen, where he oversaw dish development for all of Heston’s restaurants and brands, including the two Michelin starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in central London. Petrie joins Gordon Ramsay Group after completing a year-long post, created specially for him, as head of development at the two Michelin starred restaurant The Ledbury in Notting Hill – No.10 in San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014. As Executive Development Chef, James will work on expanding and developing the talent across the Gordon Ramsay Group portfolio, carefully collaborating with Gordon and each team on the London restaurants in the first instance. Stuart Gilles, Gordon Ramsay group managing director, said: “We are really excited to have Jocky join us. He and I have spent a long time talking through the exciting opportunities that lie ahead and we’re very pleased to have him on board in this new role as the company continues to grow.” Petrie said: “Having followed Gordon’s career, I feel excited to be joining this rapidly-expanding global company led by one of the world’s most established and successful chefs. Coming from a background of developing menus and ideas for two and three Michelin star-level restaurants, this larger scale role of overseeing 14 world-renowned restaurants within the UK feels like a natural and challenging step forward for me. I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the creative process within the company by working alongside Gordon and his head chefs to build and support a strong creative development team and nurture exciting young talent.”