The Chester Grosvenor, one of the heavyweight dining venues of the northwest, has appointed chef Elliot Hill as the successor to Simon Radley, who left last October after 30 years in the kitchen.

Chester-born Elliot made his name as head chef at Liverpool skyscraper restaurant Panoramic 34, and earlier in his career worked at the Grosvenor’s Chester stablemate, Oddfellows Hotel. His first task will be to launch the rebranded ‘Arkle’ restaurant – formerly Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor – in March.

He said: “I am proud and honoured to join the Chester Grosvenor and head up the kitchen in my home city. Not only is the hotel a Chester icon, but a culinary institution that has led the way for decades. I’m incredibly excited to join the whole team, where I’ll seek to continue and build on the tradition of excellence and be part of the hotel’s future. I also can’t wait to launch our restaurant ‘Arkle’, a refined dining experience delivered the Cestrian way.”

Elliot has big shoes to fill. Under his predecessor, the Grosvenor has been at the forefront of the national dining scene since 1990, mentioned in the same breath as Le Gavroche and Le Manor aux Quat’Saisons. Like them, it has also trained a whole generation of chefs who have prospered elsewhere – the source of considerable pride to Simon, who is now taking a sabbatical while he decides what to do next.

He told Cheshire Live: “As many chefs know, this work is a vocation, and I look forward to the next chapter, whatever that may be.”