Chef of the Week Sponsored by Pure Ionic Water: Sam Griffiths, Executive Chef at The Chester Grosvenor
Chef of the Week sponsored by Pure Ionic Water celebrates the chefs that embody Pure Ionic Water’s core philosophy of ‘enhancing the culinary experience‘.
Pure Ionic Water works in many kitchens up and down the country from the pinnacle of Michelin stars to 5-star hotels, uniting them all, the desire to serve the very best. Understanding the difference premium hydrogen enhanced alkaline water makes to food, to the kitchen team’s performance and ultimately to the business’s profits is easy, just ask around.
“I only trust Pure Ionic Water at home and in my restaurant.”
Sat Bains, Chef Parton, Restaurant Sat Bains, 2 Michelin stars
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How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I started as Executive Chef in October 2025, but worked at this hotel between 2016-2023, from Demi Chef de Partie to Executive Sous Chef.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
Cooking at home with my family.
What do you enjoy most about being a chef?
Service. Having the team pumped and working together to deliver food at excellent standards.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Butter, vinegars, and salt.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
Small crank handle palette knife.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I don’t love to follow trends, I think if something is good it will always do well. That being said, we have found more of a want for choices in a menu rather than just a set tasting menu.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
“That’ll do’’ shouldn’t be in a chef’s vocabulary. It’s a slippery slope!
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
Springtime is always full and exciting, but quite a short season of the goodies we get in this country. I also love the challenge of making ‘wintery’ food light and delicate.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
I did a dish a few years ago called Hot and Cold Potato. I hope that will make a comeback in one form or another one day.
How do you come up with new dishes?
Brainstorming with people in the kitchen, trial and error, looking through old repertoires and books. But I like to be led by what’s available to us and allowing it to be the best it can be at that particular time.
Who was your greatest influence?
I get my work ethic from my Dad. The get up and go to provide and desire to progress and achieve.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Gareth Ward at Ynyshir, Adam Byatt from Trinity and Adam Smith from Woven.
What is your favourite cookbook?
I have hundreds. I couldn’t pick one! Different ones take my fancy depending on what mood I’m in.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Neil Aitken has recently taken his first Head Chef position at the Forge and I’m excited to see his progress, Harry Redmayne at Barlounge in Chester has an exciting relaunch approaching too, however he has been established in Chester for such a long time already!
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
I haven’t eaten out a lot in the last year due to having a little boy, however Bonheur by Matt Abé looks outstanding already.
