A Corrigan Collection all-star, Portrait Gallery Head Chef Simon Merrick has worked up the ranks across Chef Corrigan’s London restaurants. Beginning at Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill at age 17, where what he lacked in experience was more than made up for with work ethic and attention to detail. He spent two and a half years at the Piccadilly powerhouse before moving to Chef Corrigan’s eponymous Corrigan’s Mayfair, where he refined his presentation, reinforced his meticulous standards and continued to grow his experience and passion.
In 2019, Simon was appointed Head Chef of the newly opened Daffodil Mulligan, where he remained in charge of the eclectic and experimental menus until now. He developed his own style creating a modern Irish menu focused on fresh produce and the wood-fired grill, resulting in years of rave reviews from critics and customers alike.
After all this time at the Corrigan Collection, he remains passionate about creating new dishes alongside Chef Corrigan, saying, “I can approach Chef for his opinion, and 75% of the time, he will love it. Sometimes he has a suggestion or tweak, and I am annoyed I didn’t think of it myself. But that’s why he’s regarded as one of the industry’s best.”